One Missed Call
by Ultrapyre
Summary: A mysterious message from the enigmatic Splatfest Altar leads to Splatfests being stopped altogether, with unexpectedly dire consequences. Plucked from their everyday lives, a ragtag band of inklings embark on a journey through Inkopolis and beyond in an attempt to restore the festival. A tale of enlightenment and self-discovery await our heroes, alongside an unnatural presence...
1. Prayer

**Prayer**

* * *

"O great gods above…. Hear my voice…."

A female inkling lay kneeling on a wooden floor, reciting an ancient prayer. Surrounding her, 8 other figures in traditional garb of various species and gender intoned a mantra.

"We are grateful of the boundless harvests, the land provided to us, and the blessing of the four virtues. We live in the light, in the grace of those that guide us."

In front of the inkling, a makeshift altar was placed. The altar composed of a strange device resembling a fax machine covered in seals, flanked by two candlesticks. A small bowl was placed in front of the device, filled with a few pieces of candy and a small piece of orange.

"Guide us to salvation, from the temptations of the shining serpent. Lead us into the righteous light, so we may not be condemned to the abyss."

The candles flickered for a moment, and the contents of the bowl vanished without a trace. The machine/altar combo flickered to life; its buttons began to glow a fluorescent green, and a whirring voice emanating from within.

"We grant you these offerings, as gratitude to our continued existence. May we bask in the light forevermore, celebrating the festival of Life."

Seemingly in response to the altar's activation, a camera mounted on the ceiling lit up, recording the scene in front of it. A piece of paper began to come out of the activated altar, with an ornate design printed on it alongside a small message.

"In the name of infrastructure, evolution, sentience, and unity. Amen."

The inkling got up from her prayer, and then turned to the eight acolytes, who abruptly stopped their mantra. One of them opened the doors to the shrine, sunlight flooding into the dark room.

"Priestess, we're set. You sure you're not going to join in this time as well?" One of the acolytes asked, stepping out.  
"What Brother Haddock most diligently elaborated, yes. The festival of the Splat is what I most dearly advise our Priestess to participate in!" Another acolyte said, bobbing up and down excitedly.

The Priestess shook her head, smiling warmly. "I appreciate the offer, but I'll be fine tending to the shrine as always. Brothers and Sisters, have your fun this Splatfest as well, I'll be cheering you on from here."

Brother Haddock simply shrugged, and walked away with the rest of the acolytes.

* * *

"….and here it is! The Splatfest theme has descended from up high!"

"What is it? What is it?!"

Callie and Marie of the Squid Sisters, the most famous pop stars in Inkopolis, are currently handling the news as they always had. This time however, the prospect of a new Splatfest had gotten them quite excited. Many citizens in Inkopolis always got excited when news of an upcoming Splatfest is being broadcasted, and reflecting this was the large crowd that began to mass around Inkopolis Plaza as the Squid Sister's broadcast showed up on the TV screen.

"Here we are!" Callie exclaimed, as a picture of the piece of paper the altar dispensed was displayed. "It's wintertime, folks! Which activity do you prefer, Snowball Fights or Skiing!"

"So what side are you on for this one, Callie?" Marie asked.  
"Snowball Fights, of course!" Callie replied, fist-pumping the air. "Nothing warms body and soul like snowballs flying through the sky! Double… no, TRIPLE the fun when Turfing is also involved!"  
"So you'd risk getting your face getting badly disfigured once a snowball to the face starts to melt? Your loss!" Marie smirked. "Personally, I'm more of a Skiing squid myself, I'd never forget the sights you can take from atop a mountain, and the exhilaration from skiing back down a steep slope!"  
"Yeah… I don't think I need that mental image right now. No worries though, I trust my reflexes!"

"So," Marie said, turning to the camera. "What's your pick, Inkopolis? Head to the Pledge Box and pick a side!"

"And as always," Callie tagged along, "the Splatfest is due next week, so get prepared while you can! May the best kids (and squids) win!"

"...*cough*, let's not go there."

The Squid Sisters then proceeded to announce the stage lineup as always, ending with their signature pose. The crowd dispersed, a good two-thirds immediately rushing for the Pledge Box excitedly.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Behold! My first solo attempt at a piece of fanfiction! Yes you read that right, this technically isn't my first piece of fan writing, I've had group efforts in the past on a forum, as well as with someone else who hired me to make a story about a team, mostly to alleviate writer's blocks. Well writing alone means I have to contend with writer's block now! Oh dear...**

 **Expect upload rates to be erratic. Reviews are most certainly welcome, ESPECIALLY constructive criticism because quite frankly I don't trust my own writing style. In fact, you're entirely welcome to verbally trash my writing, as long as you have a good reason to back it up!**


	2. Assisted Plummeting

**Assisted Plummeting**

* * *

"So…. Mind telling me why we are up here again?"  
"I thought we're here to get that gun back, right?"  
"….oh dear."

Two inklings were currently on the roof of a building, looking down at the height they are currently on. One was wearing a Gas Mask, a Vintage Check Shirt and a pair of Crazy Arrows shoes, while the other was wearing a Squidvader Cap, a Black Polo collar shirt and a pair of Punk Cherries boots. Both have tentacles a shade of dark blue, but while the former had a solid color in his tentacles, the latter's tentacles ended in a gradual gradient into a shade of dark green. The former's eyes were a shade of cyan while the latter had simpler brown eyes.

The former inkling is currently on the absolute edge of the building in question and staring down at the sharp drop, while the latter is standing at a safe distance with a thoroughly exasperated expression on his face.  
"Look man," the gas-masked inkling said, "I dunno why you've got a problem with this plan, this'll totally work! I've had worse experiences during some of my matches!"  
"Cobalt, you do realize we could've just gotten a ladder and get the gun back that way, right? This feels like an awfully roundabout way of doing things…"

The inkling named Cobalt raised his arms above his head, laughing as he did so. "Seriously, Chris? What's the fun of that? Besides, it's a jellyfish neighbourhood round here, all the ladders that the lads here would likely have are too inconvenient for us to use! Besides, I thought you'd want to get it over with so we can practice for the upcoming Splatfest next week?"  
The other inkling now properly introduced as Chris simply rubbed his temples in frustration. "Ugggh…. You got a point. Okay then…."

Chris took off a backpack strapped to his back, and then withdrew from it an ink tank and a Dual Squelcher. Setting the backpack aside a nearby wall, the inkling then attached the ink tank to his back, the device giving off a slight hiss as his ink began to fill the tank. Chris then stepped forward towards the edge of the building next to Cobalt, pointing his Dual Squelcher at the wall of another building a few meters away from their location.

"Look man, if you got any second thoughts about this…." Chris said, looking at Cobalt with a raised eyebrow.  
"You've known me for how long?" Cobalt laughed, "When had I ever had second thoughts about brilliant plans? Just do it, I'll meet you downstairs."  
"Right. 'Brilliant'."

Taking aim, Chris squeezed the trigger, firing a small three-second burst of ink from his gun. The projectile arced slightly in the air, and then impacted the wall he was aiming at, the substance beginning to ooze slowly downwards.

"Cheers Chris!" Cobalt then vaulted off the edge of the building right after the stream of ink, shifting into squid form in the process.

"I REGRET NOTHIIIIIIIiiiiing..."

"Welp. Here we go again." Chris groaned, then making a dash for the stairs, grabbing his backpack in the process.

* * *

Cobalt impacted the ink head on, immersing himself into it. A moment afterwards, a pair of eyes peeked out of the ink, looking downwards.

"Right then," he said to himself, "That's that. Now…."

Slowly but surely, he followed the trail of ink oozing down the side of the building, a pair of googly eyes marking his process. Eventually he stopped right as the ink trail terminated.  
Looking down, he noticed there was still quite a distance downward, at least 7 stories high. Cobalt's eyes scrunched up with worry. While 7 stories isn't a lethal drop to an Inkling, it is most certainly going to hurt.

"Nuts. Now what do I-" Cobalt suddenly spotted an oak tree that grew at least three stories high, planted in the middle of the two buildings.  
"Ah, there it is. Alright!"  
Cobalt shifted right back into kid form, then in the split second before gravity took effect he planted his shoes at the wall he was on, and launched himself right into the oak's branches.

Suffice to say, it was a lot rougher than he expected.

"Ow! Oof! Argh! Eeyow! Agh! Ergh! Owie…."

The oak visibly shook as the inkling tumbled through its branches, eventually with one final thump Cobalt tumbled out of the very last branch and fell into another patch of ink right where he was landing, followed by a mass of falling yellow leaves that scattered all around him.  
Looking up while still lying down, Cobalt saw Chris, visibly out of breath but with his Dual Squelcher pointed at where Cobalt just landed.

"Whew…..if…I…hadn't….gotten…there…a…few…seconds…later…" Chris said, his words coming out between ragged breaths, "You…be…a…squid…pancake." His legs gave way, and he toppled over. "Did…you get the… gun?"

The oak gave one last shudder, and a Splattershot Jr tumbled right out of the branches, landing right on Cobalt's head. With a groan, Cobalt picked up the gun.  
"Yep!" He replied, raising the gun. "See, toldya it would work!" Chris only responded with an amused grin.

"MY GUN!" A voice of a female child cried out. A small inkling child of a purplish complexion ran towards the duo. Noticeably not at least 14 years of age, her form was a strange mix of squid and kid, and she was at least three-quarters the height of the boys. "Oh, you guys found it! Thanks!"

"Anytime, man." Cobalt said, leaping up from his position as if he didn't take a large tumble earlier, and handed the Splattershot Jr to the girl. "Next time, try not to carelessly toss possessions where they could get stuck in high places, capiche?"

"Mmhmm!" the little girl replied, shaking Cobalt's hand, then Chris's hand. "I gotta go back now, thanks again!" She ran off in a random direction, humming audibly as she went along.

"Well, that's our good deed done for the day." Cobalt reached out a hand towards Chris, and he happily accepted it, getting up while still particularly winded. "You ready for practice yet, Chris?"  
"I'm already set." He replied. "I don't see your Neo Sploosh-O-Matic though. Where'd you…?"  
"Awh crap!" Cobalt exclaimed, his eyes widening through his mask, "I left my gun up on the roof of the building! Gimme a moment!" He dashed right into the apartment buildings, a clunk sounding as he knocked over an umbrella stand along the way.

Chris sighed. Today is going to be a long day.


	3. Ink on Canvas

**Ink on Canvas**

* * *

Porpoise Park. A decently sized and fairly secluded location at a fair distance away from any Turf War locations. Surrounded by evergreens, with an atmosphere of tranquility coupled with a quiet lake in the middle, it was where a certain inkling liked to spend her time for a bit of peace and quiet.

Today however, was notably different. Normally, the lack of any activity or noise save for the occasional elderly jellyfish drove the average inkling nuts, and therefore Porpoise Park was often avoided by the general populace. With the coming of winter season however, a thick layer of snow has fallen over everything, covering the grass and flowers, and the huge lake in the middle has frozen over, attracting a small parade of inklings looking to do a spot of ice-skating (or at least, attempt to without toppling over).

The certain inkling in question didn't join the parade of self-humiliating squids, but rather opted to sit by on a bench far from the activity. Unlike other inklings which normally wear clothing sponsored by various sports brands for use in Turf Wars, this particular inkling was dressed up in a more conservative fashion, including a pair of thick and tight blue leather jeans; a brown parka with a furry collar; a black scarf wrapped around her neck and a pair of snow boots made more for daily use rather than running about. Her auburn tentacles were tied up in a little bow behind her head, and her emerald eyes scanned the area in front of where she sat, observing the winter wonderland before her.

Shuffling, she took out a notebook and a pencil, and began sketching the scenery before her. It was difficult holding a pencil with gloves on, but she managed somehow, the black lines on the paper slowly taking shape into a sketched rendition of the park before her.

"Hey, Mei-Lin! Don't just sit there scribbling, play with us!"  
The girl rolled her eyes. "Oh for the love of…" She muttered to herself.

Another female inkling was running down a pathway from the skating inklings, waving at her. Wearing a sporty bobble hat, a SQUID GIRL tunic, and a pair of cherry kicks shoes, she seemed completely unperturbed by the cold weather, her yellowish eyes shining with an ecstatic energy and her lavender tentacles flailed about in the air.

"Oh don't be such a cold fish, Mei-Lin!" the other inkling said, "C'mon, join us!"  
"Katelyn, can't you see I'm a little busy right now?" the inkling now properly introduced as Mei-Lin replied, "I'm not good at physical activities, leave me out of whatever crazy antics you got this time."  
The other inkling called Katelyn tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm…. Oh I know! If you agree to join us, I'll tell the gang to go do a spot of skiing later. You won't have to participate, just doodle under another shady bench or something!"

Mei-Lin raised an eyebrow. "How did you-"  
"-know about the Splatfest Art Contest?" Katelyn finished, "I found the envelope amongst the junk mail in your mailbox the other day when I was looking out for you. Guess you're finally deciding to enter, huh?"

"That would explain the unusually crumpled batch of letters…" Mei-Lin grumbled, facepalming in the process. "Okay….fine. A few games won't hurt."

"ALRIGHT! HEY GUYS! Mei-Lin's going to play with us!" Katelyn exclaimed while waving at the group of ice-skating inklings and hopping excitedly, dragging Mei-Lin by the arm as she barely managed to grab the notebook and pencil with her.

* * *

"Phew, that was fun, wasn't it? You did surprisingly well this time, Mei-Lin!"  
"When you said, 'a few games', I didn't think you meant 3 hours of pure aerobics…." A barely legible groan emitted.

Katelyn walked briskly along a snowy pathway, while behind her two of the ice-skating inklings carried a battered and barely conscious Mei-Lin on their shoulders, her feet making drag marks across the snow.

"Katie, I think you might have overworked her a bit this time." One of them said with a look of concern on his face, "She looks just about at the Gates of R'Lyeh right now."  
"She's covered in slush marks too," the other one added, "I think she's fallen onto the snow so many times we've lost count. Should we stop for a while and let her recover first?"  
"Oh, whine whine whine." Katelyn abruptly stopped and turned around, forcibly grabbing the limp Mei-Lin and carried her on her own shoulders. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up."

The two inklings wandered ahead, with one barely looking back before running ahead.

"I'm telling you, Mei-Lin." Katelyn said, adjusting the inkling's weight on her shoulders, "You gotta come out and play with me and the boys more often. Being cooped up in the house all day isn't healthy for your physique, you know."  
"I'm not an outdoorsy person like you are, Katelyn." Mei-Lin grumbled, steadying herself and managing to walk on her own again, albeit with a slight stagger. "I can't keep up with you, you know that."  
"All the more reason to do so! The occasional walk outside to sketch landscapes don't count, you gotta take the initiative and invite US to a few activities! If you're not going to do it for yourself, at least do it for me, okay?"

Mei-Lin looked at Katelyn's genuinely worried face, and then smirked.

"Oh, Very well then. After this sketch session, if I happen to win the Splatfest Art Contest with it, I'll join your team for this Splatfest's Turf Wars. How about-"

Katelyn's frown widened into a radiant smile. "TOTES FRESH! Oh, I can't wait to tell Mark and John about it, they'll be stoked! Jessie's buried in her part-time job so she can't join us, you'd do nicely as a replacement! And- wait, have you ever Turfed before?"

Mei-Lin shook her head. "I'll admit I haven't, but-"

"YOU GOTTA BE SQUIDDING ME!" Katelyn exclaimed, but she also seemed to be in a good mood nevertheless. "Well then, looks like we got a lot of work to do before Splatfest starts. Gotta sign you up for the activities, get you your level 1 gear, book a time for your first day tutorial, give you directions to Booyah Base, and…."

Mei-Lin chuckled quietly. Today is going to be a long day.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Seems like the way updates work on this website are a bit on the slow and buggy side, it didn't even register an update when I posted the second chapter, so it wasn't bumped up. I guess it gets a bit grumpy when I post multiple chapters on the same day.**

 **Thanks for the reviews so far (all three of you, at least). It's reading those that keep me scribbling this vitriol for everyone to see.**


	4. Festival of Colours

**Festival of Colours**

* * *

One week later…

Nightfall descended over Booyah Base, as various neon signs began to light up. A crowd of inklings began to gather, the plaza slowly filling up with the sounds of excitement and happiness. In the distance, various workers began final preparations, checking the fireworks are in place. At the very center of the plaza on top of two parked studio trucks, Callie and Marie of the Squid Sisters surveyed the excited crowd, waiting for the sun to set completely.

"Alright everyone, we're all set!" Marie said into a microphone, her voice broadcasting out of a megaphone next to her. "The Splatfest is about to start!"  
"HELLO INKOPOLIS!" Callie cheered, "I see everyone is in good spirits as always!"

The crowd responded in unison with a cheerful cry, a majority of them in a collection of cyan and bright purple T-shirts.

"Woo! This crowd's fired up!" Callie responded. "Looks like the cold weather hasn't frozen us over! Clear skies tonight too, we cannot ask for better conditions! So Marie, we all set to spin the roulette?"  
"Yes we are, Callie." Marie replied. To their left, the TV screen usually reserved for news broadcasts is now displaying a roulette slot with photos of the Turf War stages on them. With a jingle, the slot wheels began to spin, stopping one by one.

The first slot reel stopped on the photo of a bridge, still under construction.  
"Hammerhead Bridge!" Callie shouted, "Looks like the workers still haven't gotten to finishing it!"  
"If they had, there won't be any stage left." Marie replied, "It may be good for us they've been lazy."

The second slot reel stopped on a picture of a warehouse, crates stacked high in the background.  
"Walleye Warehouse!" Callie exclaimed, "You know, I wonder how much of those crates contain merch of us?"  
"Probably none, after our little disaster of a job over there!" Marie chuckled.

Finally, the third reel stopped on a series of apartment buildings, an assortment of jellyfish in the more distant buildings.  
"Last but not least, Flounder Heights!" Callie cried, "Speaking of, I heard stories from the nearby neighborhood of someone that tried to jump from one building to another but landed in a tree 10 stories below!"  
"Sounds painful. Fun, but very painful." Marie smirked. "Looks like we have our Turf War stages. Callie, mind explaining the rules to those that had been living under a rock?"

"Ouch, that's a bit harsh." Callie said. "The name of the game is simple: Go nuts, and coat the floor in your team's ink. For every win a team gets, they contribute to a pool of total wins! At the very end, points are rewarded based on how popular the teams are, and how many wins the teams had. The team that gets the most points is the victor of this Splatfest! Simple as that!"  
"You can also win Super Sea Snails depending on your contributions." Marie continued, "If you can find a specialist, you can use them to either upgrade your gear with an extra slot for new abilities if needed, or you can scramble the abilities already present to potentially maximize your gear's potential!"

"They make great pets too!" Callie added, "I've kept one before as a child, they really love veggies, especially kelp!"  
"Huh, you never told me about it before. What happened to it?"  
"Some madman with a cowboy hat yoinked it one day. Dunno where it went afterwards."

"Well…." Marie said, brushing off that last remark, "I guess we should give thanks to everyone here, for coming as always, we'd also like to thank the crew that worked hard to set all this equipment up for us. Most of all, we'd like to thank the great gods to granting this opportunity to celebrate this festival as well as their guidance, as always."

"But enough about religious bullsquid, LET'S PARTY!" Callie screamed, fistpumping the air. The crowd responded with a wild cheer, as the plaza began to fill with the sound of music and the Squid Sister's singing. Splatfest has officially begun.

* * *

"Katelyn, I don't think I'm ready for this."

Next to a stairway, four inklings including Mei-Lin and Katelyn were gathered round, all of them in purple T-shirts depicting a skier sliding off a mountain.

"I tried, Mei-Lin. I tried." Katelyn grumbled, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "But I didn't think there'd be so many new inklings joining the whole Turfing sport. If I could've booked a training date the day right before the Splatfest started, I could."  
"Yeah I know." Mei-Lin replied, examining her Splattershot Jr and adjusting her shirt. "I don't think I did so well on my first attempt though. I'm not even used to wearing this undershirt, feels kinda…..tight."

"Just relax," one of the accompanying inklings said. "Me and Mark will watch your back, even a newbie can be useful if they can paint the floor faster than the other team, you don't necessarily have to engage in combat."  
"Besides, look on the bright side." The other inkling named Mark added, "You're semi-famous now. Look at Inkopolis Tower!"

On Inkopolis Tower, the entrance to everything Turf War related, two prominently displayed screens hung out for everyone to see. On the left side it depicted a dynamic shot of an inkling dodging and throwing snowballs while simultaneously diving out of a patch of ink, while on the right was a familiar scene depicting three skiing inklings, one rushing far ahead of the other two and leaving a spray of snow behind her.

"I made that remark expecting to lose that contest." Mei-Lin sighed, notably irritated. "I don't even know how I managed it, now I have to fulfill a promise I didn't intend to actually do."  
"It's okay Mei-Lin." Katelyn said, putting an elbow over Mei-Lin's shoulder. "Think of it like this: We're not here to win, just simply to party it up and have fun. Heck, I'm fairly sure John here bought a freaking washing machine as a weapon for a reason."  
"It's a Sloshing Machine, Katie." The inkling named John chuckled. "But you're right. There's just something silly about splatting opponents with something meant for laundry."

"Bottom line is, even if we lose this Splatfest, we can say we enjoyed it, not like those salty ones that complain about results for days on end." Hefting an Inkbrush Nouveau over her own shoulder, Katelyn raised her free hand in front of her. "C'mon team, let's go out there and party it up!"

Mei-Lin smiled, and put her own onto Katelyn's, with Mark and John pitching in too.  
"Altogether now. 1…2…3! BOOYAH!" The cheers of the four inklings can be heard across the plaza.

On the other side of the plaza, Cobalt and Chris examined the crowd, both of them leaning on the wall next to the Pledge Box.

"Sounds like a wild batch tonight." Chris said. "What do you see?"

"Can't be too sure." Cobalt's eyes glared through his mask, first looking at the inklings entering and leaving Inkopolis Tower, then at the crowd dancing in front of the Squid Sisters, then at the ones that just arrived via the nearby train. "I'm seeing a lot more purple shirts than cyan shirts. Looks like Team Skiing has a lot more players than Team Snowballs, but I cannot be certain."

"Let me take a closer look…" Chris said, wandering into the crowd. A few moments later, he came back, a smirk on his face.

"I had a chat with some of the Snowballs members. Looks like most of them can put a sentence together without any grammatical errors."  
"Alright then, Team Snowballs it is." Cobalt stopped leaning on the wall, then walked up to the Pledge Box, with Chris also tagging along.

"Oh, two more enthusiasts of the festival!" A jellyfish wearing a designer shirt and a cap said, "Are you the team of the balls of snow, or the team most enthusiastic of the skis?"

"Jelonzo?" Cobalt said, surprised. "Didn't expect to see you out of the shop."  
"BLUUH, yes. My dilemma is quite the matter. With festival of the Splat shirts being of mandatory nature, my customers had the disappearings! I have the managings of the shirts here, so not to have the boredom!"

"Fair enough." Chris said. "Me and my friend here are joining Team Snowballs, if you please."

"It is done!" Jelonzo blurbed, pulling out two cyan shirts seemingly out of nowhere. "As per usual, the body cloth of the festival must-"  
"-be returned by the end of Splatfest." Chris recited. "Thanks for the reminder, Jelonzo."  
"Thanks to you too!" Good luck with the wars of turfs!"

"Well then." Chris said, looking to Cobalt and handing a shirt to him. "I'm going to the changing room nearby to change out to this shirt. You coming?"

Cobalt quickly took off his Vintage Check Shirt, and put the Splatfest Tee on. "….you were saying?"

"Sometimes I forget how much the cold doesn't bother you." Chris chuckled. "Alright then, see you at Inkopolis Tower in 5 minutes."  
"Gotcha." Cobalt held his fist out for a fistbump, which Chris obliged happily. "Let's go kick some newbie ass."

* * *

"Hello Turf War enthusiasts!" A man with shining gray hair decorated with black stripes shimmering like fish scales and a simple striped shirt announced. "I'm Mack Saltwater, fellow Turf War enthusiast and host extraordinaire! Winter's first Splatfest is upon us, and joining me on this show today is a member of the Shrine of Guidance, Brother Haddock Pearson!"

"Formalities are unnecessary, Mack. Please, just call me Haddock." Another man with a similar appearance but with shining brownish hair instead replied, cloaked in a set of simple brown robes. "We are all equal under the guiding light of the great gods."  
"Well personally I'm not much of a believer in all that mumbo jumbo, but I'll take up on your offer, Haddock. Tell me, what do you think of this Splatfest?"

"Spirits run high as per usual, Mack." Haddock replied, "It warms my heart to see everyone celebrate the festival of life so enthusiastically. I wished for one of the members of the clergy to join in, but she still refused."  
"That's a shame. Say, you speak of this as some ancient tradition, would you like to elaborate on that fact?"

"Ah yes." Haddock nodded calmly, "For as long as Inkopolis existed, the Shrine always gave simple offerings to the gods, which in return gave us trivial and equal decisions for us to choose and fight over, symbolizing the actions of everyday moments. Some of the earliest Splatfests were as simple as Black and White, even."

"Sounds like simpler times to live in." Mack commented. "But for now, one of many matches of this Splatfest is about to start, and Brother Haddock here is going to serve as my co-host!"

"I've had a hand on the hosting business myself before I signed up for the clergy." Haddock replied. "I'm no slacker at it myself. Care to announce the contestants?"  
"With pleasure!"

A TV screen behind the two lit up, and a scene of Hammerhead Bridge appeared on it, spotlights lit all over the unfinished bridge.

"So on the side of Team Snowballs," Mack began, as the scene switched to a team of inklings all wearing cyan t-shirts, "We have here Chris Tempest, Penelope Oceania, Michael Triton, and Cobalt….hmm this one doesn't have a last name registered."  
"All of them are level 35 and over, Cobalt over there appears to be level 50, even." Haddock commented. "Three of them appear to have weapons tailored for close quarters aside from Chris using a Dual Squelcher. This team looks like they're playing to crush the opposition."

"I can taste the salt already." Mack chuckled, as the scene switched to the other team, all wearing purple t-shirts, "As for Team Skiing over here, we have Mark Allegro, John Colorian, Mei-Lin Jiaoyan and Katelyn Spectra."  
"Wide level variety for this particular team, but Mei-Lin appears to be level 1." Haddock noted. "This could become one-sided, unless those boys know how to use that Sloshing Machine and Range Blaster."

"Looks like this will be an interesting match to see nevertheless." Mack turned to the screen, with Haddock doing the same. The camera switched to the view on the TV screen, now depicting a top-headed view of the entire bridge. "Sit tight lads, the match is about to start!"

* * *

Meanwhile on Hammerhead Bridge itself, the squad representing Team Skiing is having a bit of an epiphany after listening to the broadcast from the speakers, mounted on a huge TV screen on a nearby blimp flying over the turf war location.

"Of course we get matched up against a team with killing intent on our first match! The gods have a seriously bad sense of humor!" Mark cried, utterly exasperated.  
"This could be problematic, that level 50 guy looks like trouble." John grumbled, "I don't suppose you got any clue on how to handle this, Katie?"

"Nope, stumped as you are." Katelyn shook her head. "I know I said we're going to have fun, but "getting murderized 10+ times" isn't very high on my to-do list."

"If I may…" Mei-Lin muttered, the others turning to her. "Umm… Katelyn, didn't you mention before you're very quick on your feet with that Inkbrush?"  
"Faster than I can eat. Why do you ask?"  
"I don't know much about Turf Wars, but I heard that getting to the front lines was crucial. If you can get to the front to lead the way for Mark and John, they can cover turf from the top pathway and the sides, with plenty of sight to see incoming enemies. Would that be good enough?"  
"…not too bad of a strategy." Mark said, tapping his chin. "Where'd you learn that?"  
"Read a few books about the Great Turf War as revision before Splatfest started." Mei-Lin replied. "I'm not sure if it'll be enough though…"

"Well it'll be enough to not get us trapped in spawn." Katelyn reassured, "Let's not make this easy for them, shall we?"  
The other three inklings nodded, and prepared to run out.

As for the team representing Team Snowballs on the other end of the bridge, they were planning strategies of their own.

"Alright team. Here's the plan." Chris began, "Penelope, you know how to use that Carbon Roller Deco?"  
Penelope nodded. "I've had my share of terrifying opponents with it. You want me to cover the ground with Seekers?"  
"Yep, exactly that. Your job is to patrol the lower area, in case the other team decides to turf the lower area and try to set up a defense there. Use your Seekers to force them to stay out of the open. Think you can do it?"  
"Sounds good. But…." Penelope raised an eyebrow as a thought occurred to her, "I'd be out in the open. That guy over there with the Range Blaster is going to be trouble. I could use some backup if I run into him."

"That's where me and Michael come into play." Chris replied, turning to the inkling in question, a Tri-Slosher in his hand. "Michael, your role is to take the upper pathway, to take care of any spot that Penelope might miss, as well as provide support by dumping ink through the grates if any enemy passes by under you. Your range is limited though, so that's where I come in. I'll hang further back, taking care of opponents that might be out of Michael's reach, and once I can I'll activate my Echolocator, so everyone can track down enemies that are hiding behind cover."  
"Roger that, hombre." Michael said, checking his weapon one last time.

"As for you, Cobalt…"

"Nah, don't tell me." Cobalt interrupted. "I'll just do my own thing. Scaring the living crap out of the opposition with the Kraken has never failed me before. Just get that Echolocator ready as soon as you can."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Welp. Whatever tugs the hook, I guess. Alright lads, let's give them a trouncing that they'll never forget anytime soon!" The team positioned themselves, ready to charge out to the battlefield.

"The match is about to start!" Mack's voice rang through the speakers. "READY… GO!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: It would seem that as of this writing reviews are bugged out and don't actually show past a certain date. I hope they get that fixed soon.  
Mack's appearance description baffled me a bit, because I'm having trouble trying to put his appearance down into words. Well, remember how Hightide Era's band members looked like? Think THAT.**


	5. Contrasting Hues

**Contrasting Hues**

* * *

On the sound of a gunshot, both teams shot out of their respective spawn points, the inklings splitting up in accordance to their battle plans.

Katelyn immediately went for a beeline towards the left pathway, quickly deploying her Inkbrush Nouveau and started to leave a trail of purple as she ran. Behind her, Mark and John turned into squids and followed her, splitting up as soon as they reached the bottom. Mark went for the slight bump on the left most part of the map and started to ink the ground with his Range Blaster, while on the right John did the same except he went right, under the grate and began painting the floor on the right side of the area. Mei-Lin, not being as quick-footed as her teammates, opted to start inking the floor around the starting area, slowly making her way towards the pathway on the right and methodically covering the floor in the process.

Cobalt instantly started to ink the floor in front of him with his weapon, alternating between squid and kid forms as he quickly made his way towards the right pathway. Meanwhile, the other three followed through with their plan, with Penelope deploying her Carbon Roller and making for the left pathway, Michael running straight ahead towards the upper pathway as he lobbed splashes of ink in front of him, and Chris began simultaneously following Michael and covering the spawn point behind him.

The splotches of ink on the floor accumulated quickly, and it did not take long for the patches of color to start colliding with one another…

"KATIE! Watch out!"  
Katelyn and Penelope ran into each other first, the latter spotting her as she reached the other side of the map. Penelope immediately deployed a Seeker, the automated bomb starting to move forward and leaving a trail of ink behind, slowly swerving towards Katelyn's position with a harsh beeping. Thinking fast, Katelyn immediately painted a nearby wall, and hopped into the ink in her squid form. Losing its target, the Seeker impacted the opposite wall, leaving a splash of ink behind with a 'BANG'.  
Penelope was following right after the trail the Seeker left behind, emerging right out of the ink with her Carbon Roller raised. Spotting the nearby patch of purple, she raised her roller above her head, ready to slam down upon the wall…

"Oh no you don't!" A blaster shot impacted Penelope head on, staggering her and coating most of her body in purple ink. In panic, Penelope swerved around and prepared to deploy another Seeker at the offending inkling who is only a few meters away and running straight at her with his Blaster still reloading.  
"Katelyn! Quick, finish her off!" Mark cried, just as the sound of John screaming in the distance reverberated towards his position.  
Within the space of a few tense seconds, Katelyn jumped out of the ink patch on the wall, quickly swinging her Inkbrush multiple times at the soaked inkling's location. Most of the splotches missed, but some of them hit the target head-on, causing Penelope to explode in a shower of purple and sending a miffed little squid ghost sailing back towards Team Snowballs' spawn point.

"Th-That was amazing!" Mei-Lin shouted, running towards their position, slightly out of breath. "We probably could beat them if we keep up this pace. G-go team…?"

"CELEBRATE LATER!" John yelled, running at them with a really large squid chasing right after him. "That level 50 guy, he set up a Kraken much faster than I've thought! HE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME!" That was what he managed to say before he stumbled, the Kraken taking advantage and leapt right at him, the impact splatting him instantly and sending his ghost right back towards their spawn point.

Katelyn and Mark's eyes widened in shock, and Mei-Lin shrieked in terror. "SCATTER!" Katelyn yelled, and promptly the group dispersed in various directions, with Cobalt chasing right after Katelyn as she deployed her Inkbrush and ran for her life.  
"GAH, HOLD STILL!" Cobalt cried, his Kraken form lowering the pitch of his voice into a menacing growl. "You can't run forever! C'mere!"

With one side of the map now devoid of opponents, Mei-Lin sighed a breath of worry. Opting to hide inside a corner next to the wall where Katelyn was earlier, the opposing Kraken didn't spot her, and instead chose the easiest to spot target, which was her hyperactive friend.  
"I'll wait till the coast is clear." Mei-Lin whispered to herself. "Can't risk being attacked when-"

Without warning, some indicator resembling a dark squid flew out of the sky, and landed right into where she was hiding, the indicator swirling around her. An eerie feeling crept down Mei-Lin's back as she felt like she was being watched.  
"Nowhere to hide." A male voice said calmly, an opponent wielding a Dual Squelcher dropped down and pointed his gun right at the ink patch. "Now let's do something about this little obstruction."

* * *

Cobalt chased after the Inkbrush-wielding opponent, which was keeping a good pace in front of him. Kraken users were generally at a disadvantage against Inkbrush users because of how agile they generally are, and this one was no exception.  
"Now that I think about it, should've gone for the Range Blaster user instead of this quick broad." Cobalt thought to himself. "Those guys can't defend themselves very well if an opponent gets up close after all."

Abruptly, the Kraken special ran out, and Cobalt reverted back into a normal sized squid. Noticing this, his adversary abruptly turned around and began running straight at him instead. Her tentacles were glowing and bubbling as if they've reached a boiling point, which can only mean on thing…  
"Uh oh. I better bail." Cobalt grumbled, running backward as he started firing a salvo of ink in front of him.

"Think you can score some free newbie kills, you overlevelled creep! WELL THINK AGAIN!" His opponent activated the special on her Inkbrush, and a bumpy shimmering shield enveloped her, the cyan ink flying at the inkling bouncing right off.

Cobalt decided to conserve his reserves, and turned around and started to run, but Katelyn was already on him, swinging her Inkbrush as she went. Some of the ink splotches landed on him, causing his vision to slowly flood with purple. Feeling his body about to come apart at the seams, his eyes flared with rage as he stopped running and stomped the ground in anger.  
"GRAAH! If you're going to splat me, I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!" Cobalt growled, doing an abrupt U-turn and firing a blast at Katelyn point-blank, just as her Bubbler shield ran out and faded away.

"Oh crud." Katelyn gulped.

Simultaneously, Cobalt's burst of cyan ink landed on Katelyn, just as she swung a fatal blow at the masked inkling. With a loud burst, both of them got splatted at the same time, two irate squid ghosts sailing back towards their respective spawn points.

* * *

Chris looked at the inkling that just emerged from the puddle in front of him, her gun pointed straight at him, her tentacles shimmering to indicate her special's ready, but the shower of purple he had expected hasn't come.  
Looking closer, he noticed the inkling's hands were shaking. There was also a look of trauma and hesitance in the inkling's face.

"What, never fired a gun at someone before?" Chris asked, his own weapon lowering slightly. "I've seen that look on your face before, from Inklings that haven't splatted someone else before in their life."  
"B-Back off!" Mei-Lin spluttered, her breathing starting to accelerate. "I'm warning you! Don't…. come closer!"  
"You haven't even activated your special, even when an opponent is this close. Hmm…." Chris tapped his chin in thought. "This your first proper match by any chance?"  
Mei-Lin didn't answer, simply nodding slightly. Her Splattershot was still shaking in her grip.

"I should've figured as much, the broadcast mentioned a level 1." Chris lowered his weapon, and Mei-Lin cautiously lowered hers. "Name's Chris. What's yours?"  
"…Mei-Lin."  
"Well Mei-Lin, pleased to meet your acquaintance. We're still in the middle of the match though, activate your special and run away from here."  
"…How do I do that?"  
"There's a glowing button somewhere on your gun. Press it."  
Mei-Lin pressed the button in question on her Splattershot, and a Bubbler materialized around her. She jumped slightly at the sudden materialization at first, and then she saw Katelyn's squid ghost flying towards the spawn point, and ran off wordlessly towards her own base with a single backwards glance at Chris before she switched to squid form and swam up a wall.

"You let her go." A voice said, as Michael leapt from the top pathway and looked at Chris with a puzzled expression, "Why'd you do that?"  
"Eh, nothing really." Chris shrugged. "Every newbie deserves at least a chance. It's only fair."  
"Well get your ass up here with me, that washing machine guy's respawned and he's about to use his bomb rush, I need your help to clean up the mess."  
"Alright then." Chris said, as the background music began to change. "We better hurry, there's only a minute left."

* * *

The spawn point at Team Skiing's side began to glow, as a squid ghost flew into the contraption, and the exhausted form of Katelyn emerged from the machine.

"That slimeball!" Katelyn grumbled. "I swear, some people take these matches WAY too seriously…"  
"Katelyn, you alright?" Mei-Lin asked, running breathlessly from the upper section. "I saw your ghost, and I thought…"  
"Right as rain, Mei-Lin. Don't worry, Splatting and getting Splatted has no long term consequences as long as those respawn points still work." Katelyn smiled, showing her sharp beaks. "You don't have to come and take care of me, that's my job."  
"Thank the gods." Mei-Lin sighed, and her ears perked up as the music changed. "The music. What's-"  
"We've only got a minute left. We better hurry up." Katelyn got up and prepared to run back towards the left pathway. "…you look like you've seen a ghost, and not mine. I should probably ask if you're okay."

Mei-Lin looked down at her gun, deep in thought. "…Someone over there spared me. I don't even know why."  
"Well I'm just glad not everyone's a tryhard, thank goodness." Katelyn laughed. "You head right, I think Mark needs some help with cleaning up."  
"I'll try." Mei-Lin replied, making a beeline for the right pathway just as Katelyn ran towards the left.

* * *

The atmosphere of the battlefield has tensed up, as there's only one minute left to the match. By now, any teammates that had been splatted have respawned, and both teams are scrambling to turf up any floor that is either missed completely or their enemy's color. So far, it looked like an even match.

"Thirty seconds left!" Mack's voice called out through the broadcast. "It looks like Team Snowballs and Team Skiing are on equal grounds so far!"  
"I won't be too sure, Mack." Haddock replied, "All it takes is 20 seconds for a match of good fortune to reverse."  
"Looks like you're right! Look, Snowballs is planning an all-out assault!"

On the battlefield, Penelope and John are having a bomb rush duel, Seekers and Splat Bombs flying at every corner of the map. Eventually, one of the Seekers impacted John head on, sending him sailing back towards spawn. Mark put up a fight by deploying a Splash Wall before trying to blast Michael with his Blaster, but he didn't count on the latter having his Bubbler special ready, and one Disruptor and splash later Mark was sent flying back towards the respawn point as well.

"Cobalt, we need time to cover up the floor!" Chris yelled as he barely dodged an Ink Mine that Katelyn put down. "Do whatever you need to, slow them down!"  
"Splat that! Mei-Lin, stop that masked freak!" Katelyn cried.

A counter appeared on the blimp TV screen. 10 seconds.

"SURPRISE!" Cobalt laughed, turning into a Kraken right as he ran into the opposite spawn point, instantly splatting a surprised Mark and John.  
Running as quickly as her legs can carry her, Mei-Lin ran back towards the spawn point, her Bubbler currently active.  
"It's no good, I can't make it!" She shouted, her legs starting to give way.

5 seconds remain.

"Oh, must've missed one!" Cobalt snarled, bouncing off the shield around the enemy respawn point and charging straight at Mei-Lin. Right at that exact moment, her Bubbler ran out, and she looked around in panic. There was nowhere left to run.

3…2…1…

Mei-Lin screamed, ducking and covering her head.

A whistle sounded, just as the counter reached 0.  
Cobalt bumped off Mei-Lin's body harmlessly, reverting to his normal form.  
"Crud. Well…uh… whatever works I guess!" He laughed. He didn't notice that Mei-Lin had fainted from the shock.

* * *

"AAAAAAND IT'S OVER!" Mack's voice yelled over the broadcast. "A valiant effort from both teams!"  
"Now," Haddock said, "let's see what the judge says about this match!"

At the very middle of the bridge, a cat appeared with white and black markings that gave him an appearance of wearing a tiny little suit. This particular cat was well known as Judd, who personally judges every single Turf War match. The two teams, now standing in front of him (Katelyn was carrying a KO'd Mei-Lin and giving Cobalt a stern glare), looked eagerly at the cat and waited for his decision.  
Looking at the battlefield before him, he saw that aside from the pathways and the bridge itself, everything was coated in Cyan ink. This was a simple verdict.  
Raising a Cyan flag, Judd pointed at Team Snowballs.

"Meow. (Team Snowballs wins by a landslide of 64.9% to 32.8%!)"

The winning team cheered, with Cobalt happily high-fiving Penelope and Michael with Chris giving a slightly concerned look at the losing team, which simply smiled and walked away, with Mark and John simply shrugging and patting each other in the back, while Mei-Lin finally got up from being knocked out.

"Did….we win?" Mei-Lin grumbled, steadying herself.  
"We didn't, sadly." Katelyn replied. "But it's not like I cared, we get paid for doing this anyway! Just a bit less for losing. Look on the bright side, have you seen our scores?"  
Looking up at the blimp which was now displaying how much each individual did, she saw that her level had gone up to 2, and that she had topped the scoreboard with how much ground she had painted.  
"Congrats, friend. You're able to shop at Ammo Knights now." Katelyn reassured. "I'll take you there, see what strikes you fancy."  
"Uh huh…" Mei-Lin simply replied. She wasn't actually looking at the amount of ground she had covered, but rather the splat numbers, which were at 0 splats and 0 deaths.

"Cobalt." Chris said, looking at the masked inkling in question.  
"Hmm? What is it?" Cobalt asked, still examining the pouch of money he had received from Judd for winning the match. "We won the match. Why the concerned tone?"  
"Ehh… nothing much. I think you could've gone a little bit easier on the newbie at the end though. She actually fainted from your little intimidation."  
"Her problem, not mine!" Cobalt replied. "Well if you're worried about her, she can only get better from here on out, it's no problem. Everyone's gotta start somewhere, after all."  
Chris didn't reply to that, simply pocketing his own pouch.  
"So… we continuing? Or are we taking a break?" Cobalt asked.  
Chris smiled, looking at Cobalt. "Of course not. C'mon, let's keep going until we're Snowball Kings."  
"HECK YES!"

The Splatfest continued, well into the night. It felt to every inkling that it would last forever.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ugh, action scenes. I'm not used to doing those, and I doubt I'll ever will. Well on the upside, that little review problem's been remedied now, so there's that.  
Thanks to the positive reviews so far, but in all honesty I'm still waiting for the moment where someone points out flaws in my writing. Well if there's any a time for constructive criticism, might wanna do it here now, I feel it could've been better.**


	6. Unnatural Omen

**Unnatural Omen**

* * *

After what felt like a very short time to some and an eternity to others, the sun rose over the partying city of Inkopolis, signaling the end of Splatfest. The last few Turf War matches ended climatically, and now the last of the inklings exited Inkopolis Tower, with a crowd now gathered round the plaza as they eagerly awaited the final results for this Splatfest.  
The Squid Sisters finished one last loop of their song, and silence fell across the crowd as they awaited the announcement for the winners.

"The sun has risen!" Callie shouted, "This Splatfest has ended! Thanks to everyone out here for your participation!"  
"We're going to need those Splatfest tees back, unfortunately." Marie added. "We'll need them tailored for the next time, so just go ahead and return them to the baskets set up in front of the Pledge Box once this announcement is over." That elicited a few groans from the inklings that only played their first Splatfest that day and weren't completely aware about the rules.

"Stick around once you're done with the T-Shirts!" Callie finished, "The staff will hand out the prizes for this Splatfest in a moment. Stay fresh!" Both members did their signature pose as the crowd began scattering to various places.

* * *

There was a brief scuffle as the inklings began moving about to change out of their Splatfest Tees for their usual attire (some proved to be more attached to the t-shirts than expected and had to be persuaded. Rather forcefully with a hammer). While the inklings got themselves sorted out, Callie and Marie had relocated back into their usual spot in the TV studio, seemingly in the space of a minute without being noticed. A couple of workers drove the trucks away, while a couple of others began removing the various neon signs placed all over the plaza.

"Guess they're about done." Marie said eventually, looking out at the plaza of Inkopolis, the crowd now focusing on the TV screen. "Callie, you set?"  
"Just about!" Callie shouted, walking next to the news broadcast set, adjusting the hat on her head. "Yo, Steve! Are the results ready to be announced yet?"

A shrimp with a set of goggles and a headset finished adjusting the camera pointing at the news TV screen, ticking another box off of a clipboard. "I just finished adjusting the camera, Cal. And um…" Steve put a claw over the headset as chatter came in through them. "Yes…yes. Okay, they've just finished calculating the results. You and Marie are up in a minute."  
"Alright, cheers Cranky!" Callie said, waving Marie towards the studio set.  
"Cal, you know I don't like being called- eh, whatever. Smile for the camera, Sisters!" Steve stepped behind the camera, a handful of jellyfish moving in with various filming equipment.

* * *

"Hang on to your tentacles…"  
"It's Inkopolis News time!"

Callie and Marie showed up on the TV screen hanging above Inkopolis, the crowd below now watching the screen in hushed excitement as they awaited the results. Onscreen, a picture of both Team Snowballs and Team Skiing are displayed, and 2 sets of numbers appeared under each team, displaying zeroes.

"Once again, we'd like to thank everyone here for participating in this Splatfest!" Callie began.  
"So without further ado, we are announcing the results now!" Marie said, "First off, we have ourselves the Popularity points!"

The first set of numbers began to spin randomly. The crowd stared at the numbers in bated breath.  
"C'mon…" Callie muttered under her breath.  
"Wait for iiiiit…." Marie mumbled, watching the numbers.

The numbers stopped abruptly, displaying a 37 under Team Snowballs and a 63 underneath Team Skiing.  
"Well, look at that." Marie said, smiling.  
"Aw…" Callie grumbled, but there was a glint of hope in her eye.

The crowd's reactions were mixed.  
"WOO! Skiing rules! Take that, Snowballs!"  
"Wait, doesn't that mean…!"  
"That's quite the difference…"

"Next up, we got the results for the matches won! These points are worth SIX times as much as popularity!" Callie announced, and the crowd went quiet. Some of the inklings were talking amongst themselves like they were expecting what would happen next.  
"Oh boy, I think I know what's coming now." Marie said as her smile faded slightly as realization hit her.

The second set of numbers began to spin as well, before they stopped. A gasp was let out from the entire crowd as they saw the numbers displayed: Team Snowballs had Team Skiing beaten by a ratio of 71% to 29%.  
"A deadly knockout!" Callie cheered, fistpumping the air.  
"Woah… that's quite the discrepancy." Marie stumbled slightly, staring at the numbers in disbelief.  
"No hard feelings though, right?" Callie said. "Anyways, there's still the final results remaining!"  
"Let's….get this over with." Marie said stoically.

A third set of numbers appeared underneath the two sets, and x6 appeared next to the match scores. The numbers finally stopped on the final score: 463 to 237.  
"AWW YEAH! Callie cried, "Get struck out, Team Skiing! Snowballs wins by a massive margin!"  
"Guess our team took the tumble. We'll carve them up next time, lads!" Marie said, taking the loss at face value.

The crowd's reactions were as expected.  
"OH YOU GOTTA BE SQUIDDING ME!"  
"So that's why I barely ran into any good players…"  
"The system is broken man, I tell ya! BROKEEEEEN!"  
"Well if I get my ultimate equipment with the smaller amount of snails, joke's on them. *heh*"  
"The salt is real! PAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

It took a while for the sounds of smugness and complaining to die down. After that, a handful of burly eel workers showed up, pushing what appears to be multiple wooden crates, filled to the brim with shiny bluish-purple shelled creatures that glimmered in the sunlight with a strange iridescent glow.  
"The snails are here!" Callie said excitedly. "Oh look at them, they're so adorrrrbs!"  
"As stated before," Marie continued, "Everyone that participated gets Super Sea Snails. Depending on your contributions, you can acquire up to 24, so use them wisely!"

"Alright then, everyone! Time to-" a harsh tone suddenly interrupted Callie's sentence. "Woah….what the?!"

The TV Screen, without warning had suddenly displayed the Fax Machine Altar, next to it an inkling dressed in what appears to be traditional garb stared at the machine in surprise with a cleaning cloth in her hand, then quickly at the camera as the altar began printing something out of schedule. The crowd abruptly stopped lining up for the sea snails, and turned to look at the screen. The workers stopped what they were doing and observed the screen itself as well, and even some of the Super Sea Snails hobbled in their crates to get a good look at the TV screen.

"CRANKY! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Marie screamed, looking at the camera. The lens shook slightly as whoever was holding it jumped slightly from her outburst.  
"I'm just as clueless as you are!" a voice behind the camera said with bewilderment. "The next Splatfest isn't due for 2 weeks at least!"

"Err….umm….uh…" Callie stammered, as she struggled to come up with an explanation. "Marie….um…. looks like we have a special announcement to make!"  
"Oh uh…yes! It appears the gods have decided to gift us a Splatfest event earlier than scheduled!" Marie replied, her forced smile doing nothing to hide her concern. "I feel bad for the workers now, they gotta work overtime!"

The Altar finally stopped printing, and as the inkling in the camera ran off elsewhere, the camera zoomed in onto the printed paper. The crowd fell into stunned silence as they saw what was written on it.  
"…what the." Callie stared at the contents of the paper, for once her active mouth deserting her as she absorbed what was on the paper.  
"…Callie," Marie said, no longer hiding her worry, "This isn't a Splatfest announcement."

The contents of the paper don't even have two contrasting colors normally present on Splatfest announcements. Instead, there was a flat white background with four crosses printed on the side and an ornate border, with an ominous message written in the middle with bold text:

 _ **For the longest time, the children of the sea took their bounties for granted.  
No more shall this be true.  
Beginning on the dawn of winter, the festival of life shall be no more.  
Dusk approaches upon this infertile land.  
Pray for judgement. Pray that your final verdict is just.  
May the heartless gods grant you a shred of mercy that may never arrive.**_

"…this is a joke right?" Callie said quietly. "If it is, I'm not laughing."  
"I don't like it." Marie replied. "It would seem that now there won't be any more Splatfests…"  
"No more?!" Callie shouted, "This can't be true, right? Those Splatfests we've been having, they've reinvigorated the populace every time! Without them, the spirit of Inkopolis will shrivel up! What are we supposed to do?"  
Marie shook her head, her expression fearful. "I don't know, Callie. I just don't know."  
The broadcast ended abruptly as Steve shut off the camera, a "technical difficulties" screen now taking up the space.

The crowd outside watching the broadcast didn't even make a noise. No outrages, no screams that the apocalypse is coming. They only stared in horror at the television screen, their future now uncertain.

* * *

 **AN: Bloody hell, 6 chapters for the plot to finally kick in. Well, I guess it's less about the chapter count and more the word count.  
** **A little shoutout to a certain pizza eating turtle BTW, that guy has both written one of my favorite Splatoon fics to follow here, AND has been consistently reviewing nearly every chapter thus far. Thanks man!**


	7. Withered Spirit

**Withered Spirit**

* * *

The population of Inkopolis didn't believe what they saw at first. At first there were denials. Saying that the gods couldn't have done this to them. That it is all some elaborate prank. That maybe, just maybe, the next Splatfest in two weeks would proceed as usual.

When the altar stayed silent two weeks after that fateful day, the populace knew their worries were confirmed. Small groups began to try to raise a festival themselves, but they never managed to replicate the feeling of a Splatfest. It just never felt the same.

A month after the broadcast and a second missed Splatfest later, the effect it used to have on the populace had become clear, to everyone's misfortune. Inkopolis itself fell into a wave of depression, as winter began to take its toll on the entire city.

* * *

Cobalt wandered Booyah Base, seemingly in deep thought. Inkopolis Plaza itself is unusually quiet, the winter chill from a month before has now worsened into a deep freeze that has overtaken the entire plaza and a thick layer of snow and ice covered every corner. A howling wind coupled with an increased snowfall had forced the masked inkling into wearing something resembling a raincoat over his usual attire to avoid the snow from causing damage to him.

"Yo squiddo, what you doin' out here?" a voice called to the masked inkling. Looking up, he saw that Crusty Sean, the proprietor of Shrimp Kicks, the shoe shop in Booyah Base is trying to shovel snow off of the stairway leading to his store, to no avail.  
"Waiting." Cobalt simply replied, looking around the plaza expecting company.  
"Well whateva you're wait'n for, don't wait out here, squiddo!" Sean said, waving a claw towards the store. "Get inside here! It's better than stayin' out here and becomin' a squidsicle!"

Without much complaining, Cobalt wandered into the store, also oddly devoid of customers. Immediately he began to shiver as the freezing temperature finally got to him.

"Woah…H-has it really been t-that cold outside?" He chattered through teeth that rattled like a jackhammer.  
Crusty Sean handed a steaming mug to Cobalt, an eyebrow raised at his condition. "Yep. You better drink that, it'll warm you right up. Can't say I don't take care of my customers every so often now, do I? Heh."

Cobalt held the steaming mug for warmth, eyeing the unusual brown substance inside, then tipped his mask slightly to take a small sip. "Um… tempura sauce?"  
"Sorry squiddo." Sean shrugged. "Best thing I could'a find on short notice. Darn blizzard 'ad me trapped harder than a sardine in a tin can! Anyway… what were you wait'n for exactly, out there?"

The masked inkling sighed, "Competition. I badly need money so I've been waiting for people to play Turf War with me. Didn't expect the plaza itself to be deserted though…"  
The prawn sighed. "'fraid that'd be a pointless endeavor, squiddo. Look outside."

Cobalt rubbed off some of the condensation on the glass with his sleeve, and looked outside. Sure enough, the door in front of Inkopolis Tower itself appears to be frozen shut, Judd the cat isn't in his usual spot right outside the tower, and even the TV screen normally broadcasting advertisements whenever a news bulletin isn't up appears to be shut off, a black screen now on display.

"I'm willin' ta bet the Squid Sisters aren't holed up wherever they usually are too." Sean said, looking up at the studio, the dim glow from inside absent. "I'm tellin' ya, that whole 'No Splatfests' thing seems to have hit everyone rather hard. Just feels like the whole place has its spark sucked out!"  
"No kidding. Cobalt said, looking back around the shop. "Looks like your usual customers are gone too."  
"Don't be reminding me, squiddo!" Crusty Sean looked distraught from that statement. "No Turf Wars, means no demandin' for new gear! I'm slowly losin' ma touch havin' ta drink nothing but tempura sauce without the credits, but you should've 'eard what Moe 'ad to say, that clownfish is losing his tiny lil' mind over this whole ordeal!"

Cobalt had a guilty chuckle over that. Moe, the co-owner of Cooler Heads alongside Annie the anemone, the shop that specialized in selling headgear for Turf War enthusiasts, was infamous for his sharp tongue in contrast to Annie which was extremely shy. Cobalt had a few times where he lost his cool in front of Moe, suffice to say the thought of amusing if ambiguous revenge gave him a sense of satisfaction.

"Say, come ta think of it, I think I've seen you before." Sean said, rubbing his feelers in thought. "You that blue boy that I've seen a few times oglin' the rare stuff a few times before with your clever pal. Cerulean, right?"  
"Cobalt, actually." The masked inkling replied, "Haven't had the time to thank you for that pair of Crazy Arrows by the way, I love those shoes. As for my 'clever pal', I think he's along his way, I told him to meet me up at the plaza."  
"Did you tell 'em that you'd huddle up in a shoe store sipping tempura sauce?"  
Cobalt's eyes perked up as he realized he hadn't. "Oh…"

"THERE YOU ARE!" An exhausted and irate inkling said, bursting right through the entrance to the shop before he hurriedly closed the door. "You didn't tell me you'd be sitting here drinking something warm while I had to freeze my tentacles off out there, looking for you!"  
"Sorry Chris." Cobalt said, with a slight look of guilt in his eyes. "I only just got here myself. Sean dragged me in here when he saw me doing the exact same thing as you were."  
Chris immediately eyed the mug that Cobalt was holding onto. "Are you gonna…"  
"Yeah sure. Here-"

Chris immediately snatched the entire mug, and downed the entire contents of the mug before Cobalt could even finish his sentence. "AH! That's more like it!"

"I'd never seen anyone enjoy tempura sauce that much." Sean said, staring in slight disbelief.  
"That was tempura sauce?" Chris replied, "Look, in this kind of weather, I'd down an entire keg of HOT WATER if it means it'll warm me up. I'm not keen on decorating Inkopolis Plaza as an ice sculpture. Anyways Cobalt, I think this trip's a bust. We gotta turn back."

The masked inkling didn't take that statement very well.  
"WHAT?!" Cobalt cried, causing Crusty Sean to step back slightly. "Chris, you know I can't-"  
"I know." Chris replied, sighing. "Look, even if we somehow pry those doors to the tower open, the stages aren't available, and Judd is nowhere to be seen! As much as I hate to say it…sometimes you just got to learn to accept defeat."  
"BULLSQUID!" Cobalt was practically yelling now. "You know just as well as I do that I don't just do this for the sport! I HAVE TO, I NEED TO! And I'll march up to the freaking GODS themselves and threaten them at gunpoint if necessary!"

"Woah there, squiddo, calm your tentacles!" Sean interjected, his claws held up in defense. "Casual blasphemy aside, how are ya even gonna attempt to restore Turf Wars when everyone else has more or less given up? Your clever pal's right, it'll take more than a gun and a can-do attitude to get Inkopolis outta that funk!"

Cobalt's arms simply fell to his sides as his rage just drained away, and he sat down looking at the floor, crestfallen. "…I dunno. I can't even control myself, let alone an entire city's worth of inklings. Are we just gonna give up like this?"  
There was a strained silence in the shoe shop, as the blizzard outside hammered the windows of the shop.

"…y'know," Crusty Sean finally spoke up. "Me old mama, she always told me the same line when I was just startin' out. 'If ya never find the opportunity ya lookin' for, tossin' a handful o' fish feed outta the sea might let da opportunity come ta ye'. Used ta' never know what she meant by that, but one day, I impressed an official that was just passin' by my neighbourhood down by the sticks in Bluefin Depot, he was impressed at how I can manage so many shoes at once! I got elevated to this pretty famous location right here thanks to him."  
"So…how's that relevant?" Chris asked, taking another look out at the snowstorm outside.  
"The answer's simple, really." Sean continued. "I most certainly won't believe that you two are the only ones willing to get Inkopolis outta this funk, heck I'm certain that every inkling that Turfed least once in their life misses them old days! All it'll take is one call to action, and you're all set to begin your little quest!"

"How do we do that then?" Cobalt asked, a little glimmer of hope in his voice.  
"Well, there is another old saying-"

Suddenly from a few meters away, an outburst emanated from another nearby store.  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T DO GIFTS?!"

Sean chuckled slightly at the voice. "-that 'fate sometimes descends and hands ye a sushi platter'. That sounded like another inkling, ya better go meet 'em, you don't see a lot round here nowadays."  
Cobalt immediately jumped out of his seat, motioning Chris to follow. "Gotcha. Thanks for the pep talk! C'mon, let's go!"

"Wait, don't slam the-"  
Cobalt closed the door behind him so hard, a pile of snow collapsed off the sign above and fell all over the walkway Sean just finished shoveling.  
"…door." He finished, sighing as he reached for the shovel.

* * *

"THIS IS IMPORTANT! AND YOU'RE JUST SWIMMING HERE REFUSING BUSINESS?! HOW COULD YOU!"  
"Like I'd listen to someone as stale as you, let alone let you help someone as UNfresh! HA!"  
"Please…stop…"

Katelyn is not having a good day. First a snowstorm happened so she's forced to wear a snowcoat and not be able to superjump due to the extreme conditions, then she managed to get herself turned around because she was forced to walk due to the trains not running, and then she discovers upon arrival to Inkopolis Plaza that the place is literally deserted and that everything Turf War related has been closed down as a result.  
Now on top of that, a certain clownfish is giving her lip, just when her patience is starting to run thin.

"For the last time!" Katelyn shouted, raising a huge pouch in one hand and a pair of Octoglasses in the other, "I wish to purchase these glasses for my friend! I am going to give them to her as a gift, levels be damned! So SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"  
"I TOTALLY REFUSE!" Moe shouted back, his little form somehow generating even more volume than seemingly possible. "I'm the freshest of the fresh, the dough, the big cheese! And it is in my eternal freshness that I refuse to let you taint our reputation with your unfresh actions!"

"Oh yeah?!" Katelyn immediately tossed the pouch aside, a large pile of credits spilling on the floor, and snatched Moe out of Annie's hair with her free hand, squeezing the air out of the clownfish's lungs as she bared her sharp teeth at him. "GIVE…THEM…TO…ME…NOW."  
"Wait…stop…" Annie said quietly, trying to reach Katelyn's arm to no avail.  
"Get yer hands offa me, you stale excuse of a squid!" Moe screamed, "WHOO! WHAT HAVE YA BEEN EATING, YOUR BREATH SMELLS LIKE A SLAUGHTERHOUSE!"

"Woah, Moe! What's the excuse for a commotion this time?" An oddly familiar male voice said behind Katelyn, "Lemme guess, another unfresh-"  
Katelyn instinctively turned around, and saw an inkling looking straight at her, her eyes widening. That mask… those dark blue tentacles…that fashion disaster of a clothing arrangement. She knew this guy all too well.  
"YOU!" Katelyn shouted, dropping Moe and the Octoglasses on the floor (Annie meekly scooped up the slightly skinnier clownfish and the glasses, tossing the former back into her hair and the latter she started rubbing with a cloth).  
"W-what?" Cobalt asked, staring at the irate inkling in front of him. "Um… do I know you?"  
"I KNOW YOU!" Katelyn screamed, as hours upon hours of frustration finally boiled over. "You caused all this! You're the reason she refused to leave her home! You're the reason I have to wade through snow for hours! AND YOU'RE THE REASON I HAVE TO TAKE SASS FROM A ROTTING HUSK OF A CLOWNFISH!" Unstrapping an Inkbrush Noveau from her back, she ran straight at Cobalt. "C'MERE! I'M GOING TO STUFF YOUR TENTACLES DOWN YOUR THROAT!"

"W-wait…" Annie tried to shout, looking flustered, "No weapons in the shop…"  
"OY, OTHER GUY!" Moe shouted from inside Annie's hair, "BEAT THE STUFFING OUT OF THIS MADWOMAN!"

"With pleasure." Cobalt replied, unholstering a Neo Sploosh-O-Matic and began starting to shoot a salvo of ink everywhere, knocking over a few hatstands in the progress. Dodging a downward swipe from Katelyn, he leapt sideways into a patch on the wall, switching into squid form and diving headfirst into the wall.  
"S-stop!" Annie said, "If one of you gets splatted this far from a respawn point, it's permanent!"  
"Yeah! Go get 'em silly man!" Moe laughed. You could've sworn he was enjoying this.  
Leaping out of the wall and vaulting himself across the room, Cobalt painted the entirety of the shop, dodging a sideswipe from Katelyn as she charged right at Cobalt with anger in her eyes. Immediately afterwards, his tentacles began to glow and bubble as his special became fully charged due to his mask's power.  
"Time to end this." Cobalt quipped. Turning into a Kraken, he charged straight at Katelyn spinning as he went. In retaliation, she screamed in rage and started swinging her brush with reckless abandon in Cobalt's general direction, managing to beat the giant squid back with the resulting shower of ink alone.

Moe is having the time of his life. "Oh, this is better than watching it on- HEY ANNIE, where are ya going? Don't duck behind the counter, I can't see!"

Eventually Cobalt's special ran out, and he backflipped towards the counter, banging into it and falling over ("EEK!" Annie squeaked). An exhausted but still steaming Katelyn staggered slightly after that barrage, stepping forward towards Cobalt's fallen form, dragging her Inkbrush behind her and not even caring about the dark blue ink she was stepping on.  
"I…can't…give up…" Katelyn breathed, staggering with every step. "For…her…I'll…make…you…disappear!"  
"Well…whoever you are, prepare to be disappointed." Cobalt coughed, barely having the strength to get up onto his knees.

Katelyn raised her swinging arm, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Cobalt, just as he pointed his gun at Katelyn's head-

"Oy, Cobalt! And Miss…whatsyourface! That's quite enough!"

Chris wandered into the shop, brushing a pile of snow off of his snowcoat, and raising both hands. "I don't know what happened, but stop right now! Last thing we need on our heads is a homicide charge."  
"Aww, man!" Moe said from behind the counter, "We were just getting to the good part!"  
Katelyn's arm shook with effort as her expression became strained, and she begrudgingly put the Inkbrush down gently as her own legs gave way and she fell onto her knees. Cobalt simply shrugged, as he put down his gun to his side, and took in a strained breath.

"Cobalt," Chris said, looking at the girl with the Inkbrush, "Don't suppose you can tell me what's going on? She looks familiar."  
"No clue." Cobalt replied, taking in another strained breath. "She just went nuts, screaming that I caused…something, and she just went right at me with an Inkbrush!" He gestured towards the counter. "If you need proof, those two saw everything. Well… the clownfish did at least."  
"Um…hello." A shy female voice emanated from behind the wooden desk. "Sorry about the…mess."

Chris turned his head at the female inkling, who has since fallen silent since her little rampage.  
"…Hold on. I think I remember where I've seen you before." Chris said. "Cobalt, we've fought that girl before in Turf Wars. Remember one of our first matches?"  
"Not in particular." Cobalt replied, straightening his mask and squinting. "I don't really remember my opponents that much."  
"Then do you remember the one where you KO'd a rookie?"  
A flash of realization flashed through Cobalt's eyes. "OOOOOH… THAT match. Come to think of it, whatever happened to her?"

"Huh? I didn't realize you cared!" Katelyn suddenly interjected. "I thought you were just some overlevelled jerk that hunted rookies for fun!"  
"Oh… about that." Cobalt replied, rubbing his head. "Truth be told, me being a relentless monster in the battlefield, it's more an…act. Gets me in the mood, you know."  
"Is that so…" Katelyn wrung her hands, a look that said she didn't quite believe what she just heard on her face. "That's…good. I was so worried you genuinely meant to harm Mei-Lin."  
"You say that like you know her." Chris said, approaching Katelyn and sitting down on the floor as well. "Can you tell me what happened? I need to know your side of the story as well."

Katelyn sighed. "Well, after that match, Mei-Lin just told me she wanted to stay in the plaza to dance instead, so I just left her there and I just went to play with the others. I was fairly certain that after that fiasco of a match, she just simply gave up. I don't know what it was, but looking back, she didn't splat anyone or was splatted at all. I think she was actively avoiding everyone, she always was never good with intense activity or being watched. I should've noticed earlier…I couldn't even find her after I finished playing with the boys."  
"I noticed." Chris said. "Found her with my Echolocator, but I don't think I've ever seen rookies that terrified. What else?"  
"After that… well there was that whole deal with "No Splatfests"." Katelyn looked down as she recounted the silence that befell the crowd when that foreboding message showed up on TV. "I always loved Splatfests. The sights, the sounds, the Turfing, watching young couples fall in love, it was magical. But in all honesty I didn't expect that simply removing them would've led to Turf Wars being stopped altogether…I feel I've lost a bit of myself after that."  
"I couldn't believe it either." Cobalt said, nodding understandably. "It just feels like everyone outright stopped caring about enjoying themselves."

Katelyn began to choke as her recollection started to become painful. "Mei-Lin… She just locks herself in her house now. She's even stopped coming out to doodle on that little sketchbook of hers. Mark and John, I haven't seen them ever since the Splatfest that was meant to happen didn't. I…well… being lonely flat out sucks…"

She started to sniffle slightly, as tears began welling up in her eyes.

"I came here today, hoping that I could get something for Mei-Lin so I can cheer her up. She's locked herself in her house for a month by now. But I saw Inkopolis Tower frozen shut like no one even bothers anymore…got into an argument with Moe… and well…" she gestured at Cobalt. "You came along. I really didn't know who to blame more for Mei-Lin shutting herself away…myself, or you. But just seeing you standing there, still breathing while I have all these problems to think about. I just…snapped."

Lavender tears began to drip on the floor, as Katelyn shook with regret, her eyes moist, clutching her chest.  
"I…I wanted to go back to those days…me and Mei-Lin…smiling…I…"

"Oh man. That's harsh." Cobalt said, his voice a whisper. "I really didn't know. Man, I feel guilty now."  
"D-don't blame me." Katelyn sobbed, "I-I did attack first after all."  
"Welp, can't believe I have to do this at all…" Cobalt held his arms out in a hug gesture. "C'mere."

Katelyn tackled Cobalt head on, embracing him and began crying loudly into her shoulder, staining his shirt with tears as she cried an entire month's worth of depression into him. Chris joined in, hugging both of them and closing his eyes. "It will be fine." He said, "I promise."

"Ugh, I can't stand this cliché-ass scene. Get me outta here!" Moe whispered from behind the counter.  
"Shhhh!" Annie shushed.

After what felt like hours, Katelyn finally let go of Cobalt, and the three split their group hug.  
"Thanks…I needed that." Katelyn said, wiping the last of her tears away. "I'm feeling much better now."  
"I guess that helped me a bit too." Cobalt replied, "I was feeling rather bummed out not being able to participate in Turf Wars."

"Kay then, we all good?" Chris asked, "You two better not be killing each other while I talk to the shopkeepers." Walking to the counter and looking over, he saw Annie huddled under the desk while Moe was desperately trying to hop out for a good view in case they indeed tried to kill each other again.  
"Sorry about the mess." Chris said to the anemone. "Cobalt does hop into situations faster than I can restrain him."  
"I-it's okay." Annie replied, standing up and looking at the inkling. "Moe may speak like that, but he cares about me. He knows I can't risk my reputation even in times like this…"  
"I didn't ask you to speak for me!" Moe yelled.

"…Katelyn is it?" Annie said, turning to the female inkling that just got up alongside Cobalt. "I'll sell those Octoglasses to you so you can gift it to your friend, even if she's below the level requirements. It's the least I can do to apologize for…that."  
"It's alright, Annie!" Katelyn replied, beaming. "Besides, that was partially my bad too…"  
Wrapping up the glasses, Annie handed them to Katelyn with the latter accepting them happily and pocketing them gently.  
"Here you go…" Annie said. "You can leave now….if you want… I can pick up the credits by myself."  
"Aww, thanks. Well then… guess I'll be going now." Katelyn turned to the door, and then looked back at the two inklings before her. "You guys coming along? I was thinking…"

"I suppose we can tag along." Cobalt added, turning towards the door. "I suppose I owe Mei-Lin an apology for that scare."  
"Agreed. Lead the way, Katelyn." Chris said, opening the door and swiftly closing it as soon as the three of them left before the snowstorm caused too much mess.

"ONE MORE THING!" Moe shouted audibly through the glass door, "Try to kill each other again sometime! THAT WAS AWESOME!"  
"…was that a positive comment?" Annie asked, picking up the pouch thrown on the floor and scooping up some of the credits strewn about. "That was surprising."  
"Aww, shaddap!" Moe snapped back, blushing slightly.

* * *

 **AN: WELP. I think I just discovered my Achillies' Heel: I suck utter shiny chrome balls when it comes to writing emotional scenes. Well...I can at least say I tried to by reading some reference material. Go check out An Inkling of Sympathy & One of the Worst, those are decent when you want some sob material. Well, more the former than the latter.**

 **Also, I was finishing this chapter late into the night, and my effort was deteriorating near the end. AND IT SHOWS =_=**


	8. Rallying Cry

**Rallying Cry**

* * *

The blizzard hasn't let up much since the trio had left Cooler Heads. With some effort, Cobalt and Chris with Katelyn leading the way trekked through the snowy streets of Inkopolis, the howling gale blowing behind them, buffeting their snowcoats and rattling their ears. They passed by a few civilians that were also out on their daily rounds, though there weren't a lot given that the snowstorm meant that any workers were allowed to stay at home, so the select few were mostly shoveling snow out of the streets.

"You sure this is the way?" Chris finally asked, looking around as they entered another alleyway. "This place seems rather far away from any Turf War locations."  
"Mei-Lin's always lived far away from any Turf War locations." Katelyn replied, shaking some snow off of her coat as the wind died down within the alley. "Believe it or not, she's always lived near a marketplace down by Sharkfin Streets."  
"Sharkfin Streets?" Cobalt repeated, "Hmm, wasn't that the place where a building once collapsed? It was all over the news. I can't imagine anyone wanting to live there after that."  
"Well…pretty much." Katelyn rounded a corner, thinking about it. "Mei-Lin willingly moved in one of the apartments over there. I'm certain she likes the peace and quiet, as well as the convenience."

They passed through out of the alleyway, and into the entrance of the marketplace. No longer exposed to the elements, the three inklings took off their snowcoats and shook any remaining snow off.

Quite unlike the streets outside, the marketplace which was situated indoors was full of life. Civilians of various age and species were wandering within a maze of a stalls, each one with a shopkeeper selling various products.  
"Fresh fish!" An eel manning one stall shouted. "Freshly caught off Saltspray Rig! Still alive and lively!"  
"Vegetables and fruit!" A fully grown inkling said to the crowd, "Picked from Kelp Dome! Free of preservatives and insecticides!"  
"Condiments and spices!" an elderly anemone yelled, "Imported from the proud workers of Bluefin Depot! A wide variety is available!"

"Wow, never been to a marketplace like this myself." Chris said, looking around. "It's…rather backward. But there's a certain charm to it."  
"I don't think I've ever seen ocean products that aren't frozen-packed." Cobalt looked at a nearby tank full to the brim with various kinds of fish. While many creatures of the ocean had evolved to dry land and settled themselves, many others stayed the way they are and still treated the ocean as their home, that is until they were unceremoniously caught by fishermen. "Why are some of these fish still alive? It feels a bit immoral to keep them in glass tanks like this."  
"I asked Mei-Lin about that once." Katelyn replied. "Something about how they are fresher that way than the frozen stuff in supermarkets, or something. She knows a lot, that girl."

The three rounded another corner, passing by another fish stall. Larger specimens of fish too big to fit in the tanks were placed on a huge pile of ice cubes, the stench slightly overwhelming to the boys.  
"Don't think I ever asked properly, by the way." Cobalt said, adjusting his gas mask to keep out the nearby stench. "What's your relationship with that Mei-Lin girl?"  
"Oh, Mei-Lin?" Katelyn replied, "Well…I suppose she's kind of like a sister I never had. Or rather…one that I liked anyway. We've known each other since we were hatchlings, and I've always been there to take care of her when she's feeling down. I might as well be the only friend she's ever had, come to think of it."

They rounded another corner, an entire column of stalls before them selling more conventional goods, such as various electrical appliances.  
"'Only friend'?" Chris said, puzzled. "Why is that the case?"  
"Well, Mei-Lin's a bit of an odd case." Katelyn began to elaborate, "She's not like your average Inkling. Compared to the rest of us, she's very withdrawn. Prefers to read books and draw stuff rather than go out with the rest of us and play Turf Wars and the like." The inkling frowned as she recalled something not particularly pleasant. "When we were kids, the other kids tend to pick on her, calling her names and stealing her sketchbook, mostly. I had to defend her from the others whenever that happens." Katelyn shook her head and smiled. "Well, I like to think I love everyone equally. Guess that makes me an oddball too! Ha!"  
"Nah, I think it's good to be a bleeding heart." Cobalt replied, chuckling through his mask. "We just don't have enough of those in Inkopolis, I'd say."  
"You forgot the part where she tried to splat you permanently back there?" Chris asked, perplexed.  
"Oh…." Katelyn groaned, "Yeah, about that. I really need to apologize properly for that whole ordeal. I just wasn't myself…"  
Cobalt simply shook his head. "Nah, I'm used to death threats by now, comes with the territory of being a level 50. Being at the top just isn't all it's cracked up to be, honestly."  
Katelyn could only reply to that with a confused giggle.

* * *

The trio finally reached the opposite end of the marketplace. Passing through a few underground tunnels, they reached a back alley with the only features being cardboard boxes and various wrapped up newspapers in bundles stacked high to the ceiling, and a singular iron gate covering an elevator, with a snoozing eel security guard manning a desk next to it.  
"Excuse me…?" Katelyn asked, walking up to the security guard. "Mr. Yaoyu?"  
The security guard shot up with a start. "Huh? Wha-?" He looked down at the three inklings before him. "Oh, hello Katelyn, *yawn*, here to see Mei-Lin again? Bought some friends too, I see."  
"Yeah, I am. Listen…has she come out at all since I've left?"  
The guard shook his head. "Nope. It's only been you round here for today. Saw you come in and out, and that's it, and here you are with two more inklings."  
"Okay, thanks Larry. Can you open the gate for us?"

The eel named Larry nodded his head sleepily. "Yeah, okay. Just… gimme a sec." With a hand, he lightly tapped the gate next to him, and alarmingly the iron gate fell right off the wall and onto the floor with a loud *CLANG*, causing the boys to jump. Upon closer examination, the gate wasn't even bolted to the wall, but was gently propped there with two insecure and rusty screws barely holding it up.  
"Here you go." Larry said groggily. "Have a nice visit….and all that…" With that the eel guard instantly flopped over onto his desk and began snoring loudly.

"He must not get that much activity." Chris said, stepping over the iron gate and into the elevator.  
"Presumably the job pays well, though." Katelyn replied, "Lucky dude. Gets paid a hundred credits an hour just for snoring at a desk all day."  
"Whatever pays the bills, I suppose." Cobalt shrugged, and entered the elevator as well.

The elevator was proving to be much more of a hassle than Cobalt and Chris had expected.  
"Man, how old is this elevator?" Cobalt said, staring at the floor number lights which were stuck at 1 for at least a minute. "I think we've barely went up at all! Can't we have at least taken the stairs?"  
"What stairs?" Chris asked with a straight face.  
"…oh." Cobalt went back to looking at the floor number, which flickered slightly, and then the number 2 lit up. "I'm not even going to ask about safety regulations. As far as I know they might as well not have fire extinguishers. Katelyn, how long do we have to wait?"  
"Mei-Lin lives at the 10th floor." Katelyn clarified. "Guess we'll be here for a while."

Cobalt grumbled audibly, and decided to sit on the floor. As he did so, the lift creaked ominously, and Cobalt instantly froze from his position.  
"Don't worry. I don't think they've had any accidents involving the lifts." Katelyn looked around at the flickering lights. "…yet."  
Chris thought about sitting down as well, then he noticed the floor was stained black with a layer of dust and grease, and other unmentionables. A cockroach wandered from a corner of the lift, stepped onto the grease, and seemingly fainted instantaneously. He decided to settle with leaning on the side of the wall instead. Above him, the number 3 lit up, signaling their slow progress.

"I don't think I ever asked." Katelyn began, looking at Cobalt and Chris. "What about you two?"  
"Huh?" Cobalt replied, perplexed. "About what?"  
"You two seem fairly close as well. I'm just wondering…"  
Chris crossed his arms and laughed. "Oh…it's nothing special, in all honesty. We're Turfing buddies, and that is pretty much it, really. I'm the strategist and Cobalt gets things done."  
Katelyn raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Seems rather generic."  
Cobalt laughed loudly at that remark. "Oh, it's not just like that. But I'll agree, when it comes down to it we're just another two inklings in Inkopolis that like to Turf."  
"And when I said he gets things done," Chris continued, "I mean that he completely ignores whatever plans I have cooked up and just jumps right out to do his own 'strategy'. Which usually involves a kamikaze attack, intimidating the opposition, roundabout ways of getting into places, or all of the above."  
"What?" Cobalt retaliated, "It worked for me almost every time, doesn't it?"  
Chris only responded by slapping his forehead and muttering a few incomprehensible words of frustration.

"That being said though," Cobalt continued, "I've known him for gods-know-how-long. When we used to be kids, we'd sit around, planning what gear we will have, our aspirations, the works. I still remember the time we used to have pretend fights out on the streets."  
"I helped him pick out the gear he's wearing now, too." Chris said, looking at Cobalt's mask. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him wearing anything else ever since."  
"Well, if it works, I'll take it." Cobalt replied, "I'll take utility over appearance any day."  
"That'd explain the fashion disaster appearance." Katelyn said, chuckling. "Though with Turf Wars now stopped… what are you guys going to do now? All that work for nothing."

"Oh, it most certainly won't be 'for nothing'." Cobalt said in a determined tone, his expression stiffening. "Once we're done with this visit, I'm going back to Inkopolis Tower, and see if I can get the doors open. I've come too far to just give up on my career."  
"That's not going to work, I told you." Chris replied, shaking his head. "We'll need to tackle this problem from the very source."  
"…guess I'll have to listen to what you have to offer, because I have NO IDEA what you mean by that."

Cobalt turned to Katelyn, which was listening. "I know this doesn't concern you, but…"  
"Actually…" Katelyn said, approaching the boys. "I might not be able to speak for my friend, but I know whatever caused Inkopolis to become like this must have caused Mei-Lin to become so withdrawn. I'll do anything if it means it'll get her back to her smiling self, I'll promise you that. If you two have any idea on what to do, I'm all in."  
Chris simply smiled. "Sounds like we have our first volunteer, Cobalt. Looks like Crusty Sean was right about that net thing."  
"That's perfectly fine by me! Welcome to the party, Katelyn!"  
"IT'S SETTLED THEN!" Katelyn cheered, holding out her hand. "Group cheer?"  
Chris shook his head. "That can wait. If we can, we'll recruit Mei-Lin too. No Turf War team is complete without 4 people, after all."  
"Totes agree on that! Hmm…I think we're almost there."

Right on cue, the lift stopped at the 10th floor, and Chris and Katelyn walked out of the lift and into a hallway with a series of doors and a view of the snowscape outside. The snowstorm hasn't let up one bit since they've started their trip from Inkopolis Tower, but the structure appears to be sheltered from the buffeting winds.  
Cobalt followed them, jumping up from his position. The lift creaked very loudly in response, and as Cobalt's eyes widened, he leapt right out of the elevator, just as it finally gave way and the lift fell down, the emergency brakes shrieking loudly as it reached the bottom with a distant bang.  
"…huh, what?" a faraway voice said from the open elevator shaft, "…oh. The elevator's back down. Ah well." The sound of snoring began to creep up the elevator shaft as the doors closed behind them.  
"Like I said." Katelyn turned to Cobalt which was staring at the closed elevator door with utter disbelief. "No accidents. Yet."

* * *

Unlike the slow crawl that was the elevator ride, getting to Mei-Lin's apartment was a lot faster. After a short walk to the other side of the hallway, Katelyn stopped in front of one of the doors which were situated furthest away from the elevator.

"Hmm…" She examined a nearby mailbox, which appear to be filled to bursting with various pieces of mail.  
"Is that a mailbox?" Cobalt asked, looking at the metallic box with curiosity. "Who even uses those anymore? We've got phones for that now!"  
Katelyn didn't answer him, withdrawing a paper clip from her pocket, and began to fiddle with a keyhole to the right of the mailbox. After a few scratching noises and a few clicks, the mailbox flew open and a large pile of paper burst right out of it, seemingly more than the tiny little box was able to physically hold.

The female inkling frowned. "Hmm… she must not have checked her mail at all." Ruffling through the pile, she found a few letters with her name on it, and sighed. "Mei-Lin… seriously."  
"Did you just… pick that lock?" Chris asked, with a puzzled look on his face. "I thought you said you take care of her, not loot her stuff."  
"Well…" Katelyn sighed again. "Look, I know what you're thinking, but I'm no burglar. That girl can't take care of herself, I kinda have to be able to check what she's up to at any time in case something bad happens." Searching through the piles of mail, she began sorting through them, tossing a few useless fliers and junk mail aside into one group and leaving a few letters that looked significant into another pile including the ones from herself. "Hey, Cobalt. Think you can help me throw the useless mail away for me? The recycling bin's on the other end of the corridor."  
"Sure." Cobalt gathered the haphazardly placed pile into both his arms, and ran towards a blue bin situated on the other side of the corridor.

"I just realized something." Chris said, looking at Cobalt's retreating figure. "Cobalt scared Mei-Lin so hard he outright KO'd her. Won't having him around make it worse?"  
"…you got a point there." Katelyn replied, starting to open one of the letters which appears to be an official letter involving Turf Wars. "But honestly, I think what she needs right now is a good hard shock to wake her up." She looked at Chris, a thought occurring to her. "Didn't you say you met Mei-Lin, or something?"  
"Yeah I did. Poor girl looked outright pathetic, I just couldn't bring myself to shoot her." Chris turned to Katelyn. "…no offense."  
"None taken. Hmm, maybe she'd be calmer around Cobalt if you're also around."  
"Who'd be calmer about me?" a voice asked behind them. Chris turned around and Cobalt was already standing there.  
"Wow, that was fast." Katelyn said with a surprised tone. "That was a pretty long corridor."  
"Well, it's not like I have too much trouble with long distances." Cobalt adjusted his shirt slightly, and tapped it. "Run Speed Up, remember?"  
Katelyn rolled her eyes. "Pros…"

After Katelyn finished reading the letters, she carefully replaced them back inside the mailbox, and locked it. The latch closed easily with a simple *click*.  
"Okay then, I'll try and talk to her." She said, turning towards the doorway. "You two stand back a bit."  
With that, she knocked on the door lightly, and awaited a response.  
"Who's that?" an exhausted female voice resonated from behind. "Go away. Whatever it is, I'm not interested."  
"Mei-Lin, it's me." Katelyn replied, her hand on the door. "Please, could you open up?"  
"I don't want to come out, Katie! Please, just leave me alone!"  
Katelyn pursed her lips a bit, before turning to Cobalt and Chris, and then looking back at the locked door.  
"…Listen. I've bought some people here with me. They wanted to see you." Katelyn paused for a bit. "…You know them. One of them spared you during that Turf War match."  
"Remember me, Mei-Lin?" Chris pitched in, standing next to the door. "Let us in. We're here to help you!"  
There was a brief silence from the other side, the sound of rustling cardboard can be heard.  
"…leave me be." Mei-Lin's voice finally said. "I just can't do Turf Wars. I can't do ANYTHING. Just let me rest in peace, please. I just want to be alone!" With that, whatever sounds from the other side fell silent.

Cobalt looked at Chris and Katelyn, expecting someone to speak up. "…Well, don't suppose you guys got a plan B?"  
Chris groaned audibly. "…no. I don't think I've thought this far ahead. Sorry, I can't help here."  
"OKAY, GOOD! I'll take it from here!" He replied loudly, and Chris looked at Cobalt alarmingly, and quickly turned to Katelyn.  
"Katelyn, don't ask me why. You MAY want to stand back. Like now."  
"Huh?"

* * *

Mei-Lin sighed and turned in her bed. She had expected Katelyn to return to attempt to get her out, but she wasn't expecting that nice guy back at the Splatfest to show up right at her doorstep.  
"Why would he even come here?" She said to herself. "Someone as fresh as him doesn't deserve to show pity towards me. He's got no reason to come here."  
She stared at the ceiling at a while. The silence is deafening.  
"…I should eat something." She muttered to herself, getting up.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. Mei-Lin instinctively turned at the source of the sound, which came from the door.  
"W-what's going on?" Mei-Lin turned her head everywhere, trying to find a hiding place. There wasn't one nearby she could see, everything was coated in shadows.

Another loud bang followed, and the door hinges literally shook.

The inkling began to panic, as an uncomfortable memory began to surface.  
"No. No!" Mei-Lin was backing away from the door in fear. "You can't be here! Please…stay away!"

A third bang resounded, this one tearing the door off its hinges. A cacophony of voices came from outside.  
"Cobalt, WHAT THE HELL?!"  
"What, I got us in, didn't I?"  
"Not like that! This is no different than breaking and entering!"  
"You lockpicked that mailbox, I don't think you have much say in this. Just saying."

Mei-Lin looked down at the being that had busted her door down. A giant squid stared at her from the floor, a dark blue color which dripped from its body and leaving a trail behind it. This was a creature she was all too familiar with, and had recurring nightmares about.

Suffice to say, she was more than just a little upset.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mei-Lin visibly snapped, grabbing cardboard boxes and various books, and began lobbing them at the Kraken's general direction. At approximately the same time the squid reverted to normal, a masked inkling forming and instantly getting pelted by thrown objects.

"Ow, ow!" Cobalt cried, flailing slightly from the barrage of items. "Stop, stop! I'm not here to hurt you, I just wanna talk!" Behind him, Chris and Katelyn ran in as well, also getting hit by the thrown objects.

"MEI-LIN!" Katelyn screamed, getting hit by a dictionary to the forehead. "Listen to me!"

"NO! NO! GET AWAY!" Mei-Lin toppled over, dragging herself backward and looking around frantically for more potential projectiles. "STAY BACK! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Oh to hell with this." Cobalt said, boldly stepping towards Mei-Lin while she scrambled backward, until she hit the opposite wall. Reaching out, he held her by the shoulders and shook her hard. "Calm down! You're just hurting yourself!" Behind him, Katelyn was frantically looking at Cobalt and Chris from one to the other, unsure on what to do.

Mei-Lin struggled in his grip, frantically trying to hit him with her fists and kicking his own legs, the blows bouncing off of him pathetically. Her eyes rolled around in panic, desperately trying to find some manner of self-defense, and landed on what appears to be a kitchen knife that's been dislodged onto the floor as a result of her tantrum. Snatching it, she held out the sharp object in front of her, and Cobalt instantly let go of her and jumped backward.

"Woah woah woah, easy there!" Cobalt shouted, holding his own hands out. "…Chris, help me out, I'm not sure what to do here!"  
"What did you think was gonna happen?" Katelyn shouted. "What were you thinking?! She's scared of you, for crying out loud!" She turned to Mei-Lin, the knife in her hand shaking unsteadily. "Mei-Lin… please. Drop that."

Mei-Lin didn't reply, shaking her head and continued pointing the knife at the trio. Her breath was unsteady, her pupils were sharpened.

"…"

Chris looked at the scene before him, deep in thought. No one spoke up, the atmosphere has become quite straining.  
"…Mei-Lin." He said, choosing his words carefully. "I know you don't want to do this."

Her eyes darted at Chris. His gaze was steady.

"I understand fully how you feel. You feel that you're the worst inkling there is in existence right now. The bottom of the barrel. That you don't deserve to be alive at all."

The knife blade lowered by a fraction. Her face seemed to slacken slightly.

"I don't believe that for a second. Even someone insignificant has something that makes them shine like the sun. And well… let me put it this way: if you truly are rock bottom, there really is no other way but up. Trust me, I've been there before."

The knife in Mei-Lin's hand shook even more. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"…why?" she asked, her voice wavering. "Why are you being…so nice to me?"

"Do I need a reason to?" Chris simply replied, looking at Katelyn and Cobalt. "When a friend of mine is down, it's just natural to help them up." He extended a hand towards Mei-Lin, a calm expression on his face. "After all… that's what friends are for, right?"

The knife dropped on the floor with a clatter. Mei-Lin's arms dropped to the floor, and she looked at the inklings before her, her expression uncertain. "…friend?"

"Yep! Friends!" Katelyn repeated, more cheerful than before. "We're all supposed to look out for each other! I'm nobody's friend if I don't get to lend them a shoulder to cry on every now and then, don't I?"  
"…as well as search through their mail every so often?" Cobalt added.  
"…did you really have to bring that up?" Katelyn snapped at Cobalt. The masked inkling simply laughed.  
"I'm telling ya, you're no role model to the other kids!" he replied, "I'm just saying it as it is!"

Mei-Lin chuckled slightly to that, a smile blossoming on her face.  
"Is…that so." She said, wiping the tears in her eyes away. "Guess I'll allow it… for once."  
"IT'S SETTLED THEN!" Katelyn cried, running at Mei-Lin and giving her a strangling hug. Chris quickly withdrew his extended hand in surprise before Katelyn's form ran right into it. "We're friends forever! Nothing will tear us apart, ever again!"  
Mei-Lin could only respond by patting Katelyn in the back gently. Looking at Katelyn, than Chris and finally Cobalt with some trepidation, she sighed with content.

"Everyone… thank you."

* * *

 **AN: I...uh... yeah.  
Typing that was draining to me. I've had experience with dealing with depression in the past, both others, AND myself. Guess it's the same rule with presumably every fanfic ever, "You write what you know".**

 **Well, I'm fairly certain I STILL couldn't get emotional scenes down pat. I feel like I'm getting better though.**


	9. OVERTURE

**OVERTURE**

* * *

A spotlight lit up in the center of a dark room. The room was devoid of objects, save for a single piano that sat in the center, illuminated by the spotlight.

The sound of a chair being moved resounded nearby. A pair of metallic hands reached out to the keyboard. The owner of the arms was obscured in shadow.

A set of eyes lit up in the darkness, glowing an iridescent blue.

" **A journey has begun.** " A voice began to speak, all emotion absent. " **A festival. A preparation. Jubilation. And then…nothingness.** "

The hands began to tap on the keyboard, experimenting with the various notes. The sounds of the piano echoed around the room, bouncing off the walls.

" **The children of the sea… they had been denied their festival of life. The light within them, dimmed immensely. Had they become this content?** "

Eventually, the hands began tapping on a pattern of notes the being seemed to take fancy to. The sound echoed off the walls even more, the room filling with a simple tune.

" **From the frozen wasteland, beings step forth, ready to embark upon a journey. They are naïve, they are inexperienced. Nothing will prepare them for the treacherous adventure that awaits them.** "

The hands suddenly stopped, as with the sound of the notes being played. The eyes squinted slightly, seemingly discontent at the music.

" **Such is the way, the hero of a thousand faces begins their journey. But, a true quest is without adversary. They will encounter danger. They will stare Death in the eyes. Their minds and souls will be pushed to the limits.** "

The hands withdrew from the keyboard, the spotlight shutting off. The only light source remaining now was the set of eyes that glowed in the dark room.

" **I must prepare now. For when judgement arrives to them, the heroes must be ready.** "

The eyes closed, the glow now emanating from the bottom of the being's eyelids.

" **The overture is done. And now begins the first movement. Let the story…resume.** "

The glow disappeared entirely, plunging the room into complete darkness. Complete silence filled the air, as the being vanished without a trace.


	10. Searching for Guidance

**Searching for Guidance**

* * *

The protagonists sat huddled round in a group, at the center of them a pile of books stacked as high as they are.

"So…." Chris said, looking at the huge pile of books which wobbled precariously. "Mind telling me what these books are supposed to be?  
"Supplementary material related to everything concerning Splatfests." Mei-Lin replied. "There's also a few textbooks related to the Shrine of Guidance, mostly their history."  
"I'm more amazed you can track down these books precisely where they are." Cobalt said, looking around the cramped space. "There are a lot of them in here. How do you manage living here, anyway?"

Even without the books and cardboard boxes stacked all the way up to the ceiling, Mei-Lin's apartment was small by living space standards. With the piles of books cluttering the one-room apartment, there's barely enough space for one inkling to maneuver around. Four inklings were proving to be partially claustrophobic.

"I just…do." Mei-Lin replied offhandedly. "Back to the matter on hand. Chris, what did you say you think was the source of the problem?"

Chris carefully extracted a book labelled 'History of Festivals' from the pile, and started turning the pages. "I'm sure we all saw the broadcast after the first Winter Splatfest ended, when that message came from the altar." He put down the book on the floor, and pointed at a picture of the altar, the fax machine covered in seals. "Everything went to hell in a handbasket when that message appeared and no more Splatfests happened. If there's anywhere to look for a solution, it is right here."  
"So do you know where to find it?" Katelyn asked.  
"The Shrine's been around since living memory." Mei-Lin replied, opening a book titled 'Hotspots of Inkopolis', "If it were located anywhere, it's likely somewhere relatively old." She found a page, and put the book down for everyone to see, pointing at a specific location on a map. "There. Glowworm Avenue, a few streets away from Bluefin Depot. The Shrine has an entire street block dedicated to it."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Cobalt shouted, getting up. "Let's go!"  
"I second that notion!" Katelyn added, also getting up. "Hey Cobalt! Last one to the shrine owes 400 credits!"  
"A challenge? That's more like it! Alright, catch me if you can!"

"No wai-" Before Chris could finish his sentence, the two had already rushed out, leaving a cloud of dust behind them. He turned to Mei-Lin who looked equally exasperated.  
"…I suppose we better go after them, before one of them embarrasses themselves."  
"Agreed. I'll pack a few things along, who knows what will happen?" She turned to a cardboard box and began picking out a handful of snacks, a few books and what appears to be stationary.  
Chris looked around, and found what appears to be a Splattershot Jr laid abandoned in a corner alongside some Turf War gear, gathering dust. Picking it up as well as an ink tank, he brushed off some of the dust, and walked to Mei-Lin.  
"Hey…" he said, handing them out. "I know we're just visiting the shrine, and nothing would probably happen. But pack these, it's best to be prepared for a worst-case scenario."  
Mei-Lin said nothing, and just simply shrugged and put the weapons into a backpack alongside her other things. Chris could've sworn he saw a glint of irritation in her eyes for a brief moment.

"Shall we be going? We need to catch up with those two." Chris looked at the door which was still knocked down on the floor.  
"We need to hurry." Mei-Lin replied. "We can't catch up with them if we linger around."

Right on cue, Cobalt's voice resounded from the distance: "OH HELL NO! If you think I'm riding that death trap right back down, you got another thing coming! GERONIMO!" There was a distant thump of a body landing in snow a few moments later.  
Chris looked at Mei-Lin, bemused. "Nah, we got time. Come on, let's do something about that busted door real quick before catching up."

* * *

Glowworm Avenue isn't anything remarkable. In fact, when the time came to name the various streets that littered Inkopolis, this particular street was one of many that got the short end of the stick. There was however an old tale concerning this particular street which involved a romance between a Zapfish and a Glowworm, and how the streets sometimes glow with a strange light during nights when the moon cannot be seen. To the regular folk however, it is simply just another street with shops and restaurants lining the sides, and not worth a second glance.

With the snowstorm dying down since they left Sharkfin Streets, Chris and Mei-Lin followed two sets of footprints before them, with the one or two bystanders within view wearing an expression of bewilderment.  
"You know…" Mei-Lin began, walking along the sidewalk. "I don't think I've ever seen Katelyn this enthusiastic."  
"Hmm?" Chris replied, "Yeah. No Splatfests, no Turf Wars, I wouldn't blame her for being miserable all this time. It's a rather dull experience for everyone, myself and especially Cobalt included."  
Mei-Lin shook her head. "No… it's not that. Just… Mark, John… myself. None of us are able to keep up with her. I'm usually the one being dragged along into whatever silly games that girl has in store. That Cobalt fellow, he's just the thing she needs."  
"A reckless hothead that bumbles into situations without knowing the consequences?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Mei-Lin laughed softly. "Yeah… exactly that. She loves everyone, sometimes too much. I think it's the first time I've seen someone just as ridiculous as she is, it's a nice change of pace."  
Chris rolled his eyes, and chuckled. "Two Cobalts in Inkopolis. Gods help us all."

They eventually arrived at the Shrine of Guidance. From a bystander's appearance, the structure sticks out like a sore thumb, with the wooden temple surrounded from all sides with various high-rise buildings. Lining the sides of the cobblestone pathway that leads into the shrine itself, some Sakura trees were planted, branches devoid of petals and leaves due to the icy weather, and small icicles hung from the branches glimmering in the sunlight. Remarkably, the many patches of yellowing grass that consists of the front of the shrine weren't covered in snow, the adjacent buildings surrounding it granting cover from the snowstorm, giving the resulting area an air of mystery.  
In the very front of the shrine area where a small stone fence surrounded it, with the entrance an archway leading directly into the shrine itself, two inklings were collapsed on the pavement, gasping for breath.  
"W-What in the name of R'lyeh are you made of?!" Katelyn barely managed to yell, "Last time I've seen inklings run that fast was in sports tournaments!"  
"PAHA…ha!" Cobalt laughed, barely having enough oxygen to do so, "Whaddya expect? I'm used to running this fast in Turf Wars! The Pain-Train stops for no one, mate!"  
"I'm not convinced. If you were, you wouldn't be hugging the pavement like it's your best friend!" Katelyn grinned. "Guess even pros have their limits!"

Cobalt got up from the floor, a wheeze sounding through his gas mask. "Yeah… you're right about that. Even I have my limits, you know. But whatever works, right? I still beat you!"  
"Oh yeah?" Katelyn got up, staggering slightly. "First one to Bluefin Depot wins! You good?"  
"HELL YES! BRING IT-"  
"Cobalt, stop. Did you seriously forget what we're here for?" Chris groaned, trying his hardest not to slap his hand across his forehead, with Mei-Lin running forward and helping Katelyn steady her feet.  
"Oh. Right." Cobalt's eyes looked down in disappointment. "Something, something, shrine visit, right?"  
"Yeah. Come on, let's head in." Chris stepped in past the archway, with Cobalt following suit. Katelyn followed close behind, with Mei-Lin staggering trying to keep up.

* * *

Upon entering the area, an air of tranquility enveloped the team. Sounds of everyday commute from the sidewalk, the howling wind of whatever remained of the blizzard, everything from outside dampened greatly leaving nothing but a relaxing calm atmosphere.  
Sounds of tweeting sparrows filled the air, and insects hopped across the stone pathway despite the weather outside. Traces of leaves from the dead Sakura trees fell onto the pathway, the rustling of crinkling leaves deafening in the area. At the very entrance to the shrine itself, a lone inkling maiden in a priestess outfit was seen, sweeping the dead leaves off the cobblestone path.

The maiden suddenly stopped, freezing at the sound of the team's footsteps.  
"Ah…" she said, without turning around. "Visitors. Are you here to seek guidance?"

"Excuse me?" Chris said, walking forward. "Um… we're here to visit the shrine."

"Then you have come to the right place." The priestess replied, turning around to look at the group. For an inkling, she was a remarkable specimen: with a set of tentacles an unusual shade of dark gray which ended in red tips, four longer thinner tentacles extending from the back of her head and tied in a braid behind her head, and a beautiful face with a set of oddly familiar golden eyes with crossed pupils glinting in the afternoon sun, extruding an aura of serenity around her. "Welcome, my friends, to the Shrine of Guidance. My name is Priestess Saika, and I humbly welcome all of you. Please, tell me the purpose of your visit."

"Umm…" Mei-Lin stepped forth. "We are here to see the altar. Just… to examine it."  
"Is that so…?" Saika replied, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry, public visits to the altar are not authorized today. Weekly prayers are scheduled for yesterday, unfortunately."  
"Please, this is important." Chris insisted. "We'd like to look at the altar, because we have reason to believe it is our lead to finding out why Splatfests have stopped. If we can restore Inkopolis to what it once was, we'd like to ask for you cooperation, miss priestess."

"Call me Saika." The priestess replied. "Formalities are unnecessary under the watchful eyes of the gods.  
Tell me… what are your names?"  
"My name is Chris Tempest." Chris replied. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."  
"Name's Katelyn Spectra!" Katelyn said happily. "Hello!"  
"…I'm Mei-Lin. Mei-Lin Jiaoyan." Mei-Lin said with slight hesitation.  
"And my name's Cobalt." The masked inkling finished. "…that's it, really."

"I see." Saika said, eyeing the four before her. "Chris, Katelyn, Mei-Lin, Cobalt. Countless others have come before you in the past, demanding why Splatfests have stopped. Truth be told, I do not know the solution myself, but…"  
She went back to sweeping the floor, her eyes on the pavement.  
"I sense determination among you, I suspect none of you would wish to leave this shrine empty-handed. But, I know the gods have worked in mysterious ways in the past, and if they have sent you, I must test you all, to see if you are worthy of the knowledge I have withheld from others."  
Saika looked directly at the group, and smiled. "The conditions are simple. By any means necessary, take this broom off my hands. If you can firmly grasp it, I shall tell you all what I know."

Cobalt eagerly leaped forth. "Alright then lady! Don't mind if I do!" Running straight at Saika, his arms outstretched, he jump at the priestess with a running leap.

"YOINK!" Cobalt grasped at the broom, then realized he managed to grasp onto thin air. Looking to his left, he realized that Saika was sweeping the area two feet to where she was earlier, seemingly moving instantaneously. He snatched at the broom again, once again missing as the priestess began sweeping the steps. This process repeated a few times until Cobalt was collapsed at the lowest step of the shrine, too winded to continue.

"Such crude methods." Saika said calmly, sweeping the steps above him. "How have they worked for you in the past, I wonder?"  
"Oh, well believe me, lady." Cobalt replied barely moving from the wooden step. "They had. Just… gimme a moment to rest, and I'll get back to you, okay?"

"MAN, you're pathetic!" Katelyn said, barely containing her laughter. She rolled her arms, and ran forth. "ALRIGHT, let me show you how Miss Katie gets the broom!"

A few minutes later, Katelyn has collapsed right over Cobalt, Saika sweeping fallen leaves off of the two.

"I do believe 'Miss Katie' just hilariously 'missed' the mark." Cobalt groaned from underneath Katelyn.  
"Oh, shut up."

"It seems like a frontal approach would not work." Chris mused, looking at the collapsed duo. "This would require proper analysis, if we wish to succeed."  
Mei-Lin looked at Saika for a while, and a thought crossed her mind. "Wait, perhaps this isn't as hard as it seems. She said 'any means necessary', right?"  
Chris perked up as the same thought crossed his mind. "Ohh…. good point!"

Walking up to Saika, Chris stopped and cleared his throat. "Ahem… Saika, I'd like to assist you to sweeping the floor, can you lend me your broom?"  
"Sure, here you are." She simply replied, handing the broom to him. It was then a surprised 'oh!' expression crossed her face as she realized what she just did.

"SERIOUSLY?" Cobalt grumbled, nudging Katelyn off of him. "That's all you had to do? Talk about anticlimactic!"  
"Never even thought of the diplomatic approach." Katelyn said, getting up and helping Cobalt up as well. "Whatever works, I guess!"  
"HEY! That's my line!"

"Ahh…well then." Saika said, slightly taken aback at her carelessness. "It would appear you have passed my test. I shall share with you what I know. Please, my friends. Come inside the shrine, we'll talk in detail from there."

The group stepped up the shrine steps, with the priestess opening a set of wooden doors at the front of the shrine. They stepped inside, with the set of wooden doors closing behind them, plunging the courtyard into silence, the sound of rustling leaves prevalent.

* * *

 **AN: A bit of behind-the-scenes stuff. I just realized that I've been giving Cobalt the wrong shirt all this time, so now instead of a Dark Urban Vest he now wears a Vintage Check Shirt. Every single bit of writing concerning that particular bit is now properly adjusted, so for the few of you reading from start to finish and had also been with this story since the beginning, you now know why that's different. As for the rest of you...what are you talking about, Cobalt's always been wearing a Vintage Check Shirt, I dunno what you mean! *nervous laugh***

 **Truth be told, I wish there were more reviews. The other stories get tons of reviews, even the ones fewer chapters in. It's not exactly the best feeling to look at a somewhat barren reviews page, even if most if not all are positive ones.**


	11. Stifling Exposition

**Stifling Exposition**

* * *

The protagonists sat around a table, while the priestess set out tea cups for them. Soon afterwards, she bought out a teapot alongside a small pile of scrolls, setting the scrolls aside and graciously filling everyone's tea cups.

"Please, drink up while the tea is still hot." Saika said calmly. "Tea is best drunk during cold weather."

Cobalt took a look at the substance the priestess just poured out. Somewhat viscous, it seemed like the liquid inside settled down slower than usual after being poured from the teapot. Grasping the cup the substance inside shifted color tones slightly to match his own.  
"Hmm." He said. "Not used to drinking Ink Tea. Chris, is this stuff safe to drink?"  
"Slightly hot, but not half bad." Chris replied, taking a drink from his own cup. "A bit bitter from the tea leaves, a nice mature taste, and it beats drinking that tempura sauce from earlier."  
"Tempura sauce…?" Katelyn asked, perplexed.  
"Long story. Trust me, you don't wanna know."

Cobalt decided not to drink from his cup, and pushed it at Chris. Taking a look at the priestess, he noticed that Saika has placed a small stack of scrolls on the table.  
"Say, what are those supposed to be?" He asked.  
"These are various scrolls passed down from generations of shrine maidens." Saika replied. "They tell an ancient legend with connections to the Splatfest altar. It is best if I tell you all about the tale linked to the altar before I show you the altar itself."  
Mei-Lin nodded, taking a sip from her cup and taking out a notepad from her backpack. "Please, start from the very beginning. Leave no detail out, any of this could potentially come in useful."

Saika unrolled half of the first scroll, and spread it out evenly on the table. Depicted upon the scroll, were what appear to be two balls of light over an endless expanse of ocean in plain black ink, with text written next to the picture in what appears to be ancient Inkling dialect.  
"Long ago," she began, "The world as we know it was nothing but oceans. Endless expanses of water, chaos flowing beneath the waves. Up within the heavens, the Great Gods looked upon this tumultuous blank slate, and decided to grant order to the chaos. With this goal, they sent down two emissaries from the heavens, each glowing as brightly as hundreds of thousands of glowworms."

Rolling up the scroll, the priestess unrolled the second half of the scroll, this half depicting what appears to be one ball of light underneath a massive landscape that was now in the center of the ocean, and above it the other ball of light was hovering over a large crowd of various specimens of life.  
"The emissaries were brothers, their bond unimaginable to many. Both agreed on a plan, and began to set off creating a utopia from the endless expanse of water. The first one plunged into the ocean, and with his blinding glare he raised a massive landscape from the ocean floor. The second emissary, with his soft and gentle glow created life upon the landmass his brother raised, creating all that now dwells upon this land. He settled down above the land, illuminating it and guided the life upon it every waking day."

A loud snore emanated from one side of the table. Turning to the source of the noise, Saika saw that Cobalt had fallen asleep, and had passed out on the table with his gas mask tapping the table as he snored.  
Chris grumbled and got up, gently dragging Cobalt by the shoulders and placing him gently onto a nearby corner.  
"Sorry about that." He said, coming back to the table and sitting down. "Cobalt's not good when it comes to exposition. Please, continue."

With a slightly amused expression, Saika rolled up the entire scroll, and unfurled a second one. Katelyn gasped as she saw what was drawn onto the first half of the scroll, in what appears to be the landmass being devoured from underneath by a giant serpentine creature, a sole antenna similar to an angler fish on the gargantuan monster's head encapsulating what appear to be one of the balls of light, with the other ball of light hovering over the landmass but not as iridescent as before. The entire picture was drawn with a variety of dark color tones, enhancing the menacing aura of the image.  
"However, all was not well." Saika continued, reading the dialect on the scroll. "Within the ocean, the first emissary was exposed to the chaos of its currents, stripping away the divine protection that was once cast on the being and stripping away his ability to return to heaven when the divine duty with his brother was finished, condemning him into the abyss. On the surface, the life the second emissary had created began worshipping him as their sole creator, ignorant of the first emissary that had created the landscape for them.  
Various emotions festered in the first emissary's heart, with his divine protection no longer present. Loneliness, for no longer being able to return to the heavens. Betrayal, for his brother having abandoned him to his fate. Envy, for the brother that had stolen the accomplishments he had completed. This tidal wave of emotions coupled with the bedlam of the abyssal waters consumed the emissary, transforming him into the Shining Serpent, a godlike monstrosity hell-bent on reclaiming the land into the abyss below. With his own light alongside an alluring song of the deep dark, he began to mislead the life that dwelled above, luring them back into the ocean. With that, life on the land began to vanish one by one, as he prepared to return the land to the ocean where it once originated."

Saika unrolled the second half of the scroll. Upon it, there was an image of a hooded being holding a scepter with the ball of light contained inside the very tip, leading a crowd of marine life from the serpentine creature.  
"The second emissary had not expected this. Being incapable of communication with his own creations, he was at a loss on how to rectify this change of events. Reaching out to the Great Gods, he requested that they grant him a mortal body, so that he can learn and understand how his creations felt, so that he may be able to guide them back to where they belonged. They gave him the ability to create an avatar upon the land he had made, so he may explore his own work and reverse the mistakes that he made. Thus, the Guiding Light came to be, and he led many an expedition to rescue the lives that the Shining Serpent had dragged into the abyss."

The priestess opened a third scroll, this one picturing the serpent with a malevolent grin and encircling what appears to be an inkling maiden and grasping onto her eyes and shoulders with thin spindly claws, causing her to arch back and scream into the sky, clasping her hands in front of her. On the opposite side of her, the hooded figure was facing her while surrounded by a crowd of marine life, in the act of what appear to be singing. Looking at the image, Mei-Lin grimaced in revulsion at the maiden's position.  
"The Shining Serpent was without cunning, however. Realizing that the key to winning the tug-of war was in the life the Guiding Light had created, he seduced a maiden that was in his captivity, whispering into her mind an incandescent aria that blankets higher thought in an alluring mist, giving way to base instinct. Woven into this song was encoded the embrace of the ocean, calling the life which had once existed there back into the waves below.  
The Guiding Light discovered this, and rallied the people he had led. Together, they sung a hymn that celebrated the brightest light of all, the radiance of life. With each species singing a different verse that complemented one another, they created a harmonious piece that while incomplete outshone the tempting light that the maiden and the Shining Serpent composed."

Moving to the second half of the third scroll, it depicted the maiden kneeling onto the floor. A pair of angelic wings had sprouted from her back, and she appears to be in the act of singing, alongside a crowd of marine life behind her doing the same. Above her, the hooded figure had his arms held wide in a conductor's gesture, while below the maiden the serpentine creature lay in darkness, bound together by what appear to be various chains.  
"The melody awakened the maiden from her trance, allowing her to reunite with her brethren. Her exposure to the Shining Serpent had endowed her eyes and spirit with an incandescent light, allowing her to put the finishing touch on the hymn of harmony with a grand finale. With their combined power, the Shining Serpent was sealed away into the abyss, never to rise again."

Cobalt abruptly awoke from his corner and looked at the gathered group.  
"Hey, is the story over yet?" He asked.  
"Patience, Cobalt." Saika replied, picking up one last scroll. "This tale is almost finished."  
"Oh, okay then." Cobalt instantly fell asleep again, snoring loudly.

The priestess unfurled the last scroll, this particular one thicker than the others. Depicted upon it was the maiden surrounded by eight other creatures, all of them in a kneeling position with the hooded figure above them kneeling as well seemingly in prayer. Around them, a large crowd of marine life appear to be jubilant in celebration.  
"With gratitude to the Guiding Light, the life he had created formed the Shrine of Guidance, dedicated to the entity that had saved them. The maiden became its representative alongside ten other members chosen from the various species. Alongside the Shrine, the creatures created the Festival of Life, a holy festival where the creatures fought one another in ritualistic combat to represent the hardships and struggles of everyday life, blessed by the Guiding Light to invigorate the participants so that they will be reborn anew each time, as if the light of the emissary was shining down upon them once more."

She unrolled even more of the scroll, revealing a second image of the hooded figure raising his staff and pointing to the sky as a beam of light from the heavens raised him from the ground, flanked from four sides by what appear to be small stone crosses. The crosses themselves appear to have a circular hole in the center, which glowed with a strange light.  
"The Guiding Light sensed that his time in the realm was almost up, now that his creations had learned to live without his guidance. Before his departure, he erected four sacred crosses upon the four corners of the land, each representing an aspect of life that his creations will indulge with: Infrastructure, Evolution, Sentience, and Unity. The four crosses were planted firm upon the land, ensuring that even as the Guiding Light will vanish from this world, they will protect the land in his absence, so that the Shining Serpent will never lead his people astray ever again."

Saika unfurled the scroll fully, and Chris, Katelyn and Mei-Lin let out a collective gasp. The very last image was that of a familiar one: the Splatfest Altar which was in the middle of printing a new Splatfest event, a border surrounding the image the exact same one that had told the masses that there will be no more Splatfests.  
"Returning to the heavens, the Guiding Light left behind nothing but a relic: the Altar that to this day receives words from the Great Gods, and grants their creations the permission to partake in the Festival of Life. With this, he also left a message behind: When the seas attempt to swallow you whole, when the earth you tread tries to split apart, when untold calamity is to descend upon the land, speak to the altar and state your problem. My thousand avatars will be there to guide you anew."

Mei-Lin finished jotting down the last of her notes onto her notepad, and sighed a breath of relief. "That's… a lot to take in." she said. "I only heard snippets of the ancient legends from some of my history books, and even then only the oldest ones had bits and pieces of this."  
"Tell me about it." Katelyn added, pointing a thumb at Cobalt who abruptly woke up as Saika finished her story. "Put poor ol' Gas-Face over there to sleep."  
"Hey don't blame me!" Cobalt replied, shaking his head. "I already struggle to stay awake with Chris's battle plans. Something like this konks me right out."  
"Still though," Chris said, trying hard not to think about Cobalt's snark, "This is all just a legend, right? How has this any correlation with our current objective?"

Saika smiled warmly, and walked towards a closed door in the back of the room.  
"A legend this may had been, but stories like this are often grounded in reality with a few facts." She waved a hand at her own eyes. "I was allegedly a descendant of the first shrine maiden, the very same one within the legend itself. Truth be told I'm unsure of my own heritage, but I knew that with my eyes and color like this I had to belong somewhere special."  
"You know, come to think of it." Katelyn interjected, setting aside her tea cup and getting up with everyone else. "Those eyes, the monochrome color of your tentacles. You kind of remind me of-"  
"Callie and Marie, of the Squid Sisters?" Saika finished. "I've had many visitors tell me this before. I believe they had potential to be Shrine maidens too, but they had foregone that in pursuit for a singer's career. Very few inklings display the traits qualified to be a Shrine maiden, and usually what makes them unique is a talent in singing. The Squid Sisters had been popular for the longest time, had they not?"  
"So can you sing, too?" Katelyn's eyes widened in anticipation. "I'd love to hear your singing voice!"  
Saika blushed slightly, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I have to refuse. Forgive me, I'm easily embarrassed when it comes to my own talents. In any case, time for me to show what you had all came here for."

Opening the door in the back, Saika revealed to the group a small space, easily the size of a small van. Nine cushions were arranged in the center of the room, one being surrounded by eight others. In the back, the Splatfest Altar was neatly placed onto a wooden table.  
Along with the sight, a huge cloud of dust emerged from the room. Everyone caught in the cloud had a brief coughing fit.  
"Ahh…" Saika said, frowning. "Perhaps I should have mentioned. Three weeks ago the visitors had stopped coming to the shrine altogether, and even the clergy stopped showing up. I may have said the weekly prayers were yesterday, but with nobody coming I had stopped maintaining that room altogether. Pardon the dust cloud."

"It's okay." Chris said, coughing out the last mote of dust in his throat. "So this is it, huh? The Splatfest Altar… looks like a fax machine."  
"That's because it IS a fax machine." Katelyn said, looking closely at the altar. "Is this some kind of joke? If it is, I'm not really laughing." She reached out a hand at the buttons on the altar, trying to examine it.

"Wait, don't touch-" Saika began to say, but right as Katelyn's hand touched the altar, the machine whirred into life, the buttons lighting up with a green light. In response to this, a sharp beep resounded from the ceiling, as a camera mounted on the ceiling and directed at the altar whirred to life, filming the scene before it…

* * *

"Agh, blast it. Where in the name of the gods is it?"

Cranky Steve is not having a good day. First one of his co-workers called off sick due to the blizzard and leaving him with double the work he had to handle, then he had spent a few unnecessary hours to repair and replace cameras when some of them inexplicably broke, now the staff told him their studio couldn't procure enough mics for a talk show, so he had to trek through three hours of howling gales just to retrieve spare equipment from the Squid Sister's studio. "It's not like they're using it right now", they reasoned.  
It didn't help either that nobody had bothered to power the ceiling lights with electricity since it became somewhat defunct when people stopped coming to Turf Wars, so the unfortunate prawn had to wade through a tangle of wires and unpowered spotlights in darkness. The dim light from the window outside didn't really help in any shape or form.

"Confounded- WOAH!" Steve tripped over another wire and faceplanted on the floor for the fourth time that day. Just then, someone turned on a flashlight right next to him, and helped him up. Turning to whoever helped him, he saw that figure slightly taller than he is had helped him up, the flashlight in one gloved hand and what appears to be a walking stick in another. He was dressed in what appears to be the cloaked garb of clergymen from the Shrine of Guidance, but his face was obscured in shadows.  
"Are you hurt?" the mystery man asked Steve, checking his shell for any scratches.  
"Right as rain." The prawn replied, brushing himself off. "Who are you?"  
"Just a passerby that saw you trip from outside when I was going for a relaxing walk. Call me Brother Hermit."  
"I see, cheers Mr. Hermit. But…" Steve frowned, "Civilians aren't allowed in the studio. You shouldn't be-"  
"It's okay, I'm acquainted with Brother Haddock. I happen to have a studio pass." The man chuckled. "That man loves his moments in the limelight, always pushes these on us so we can see him show off from the sidelines. Hohoho."

"Yeah, yeah, okay then." Steve shrugged off the man and rummaged through a few cupboards, the clergyman assisting him with the flashlight in his hand. Just then, the news screen turned itself on, and Steve looked in surprise as it displayed something on-screen.  
"What's happening?" the cloaked man asked. "I thought this place has no power."  
"All the equipment round here have backup batteries installed in case power fails, keeps the quality together in case of a power outage." Steve explained. "But… hey, isn't that the Splatfest Altar? And who are those kids?"

* * *

The protagonists stared at the activated Altar before them, while Saika was frantically turning her head between the group and the camera that had activated above them without their knowledge.

"It's…on?" Katelyn said, befuddled. "That's unusual. If this really is a run-of-the-mill fax machine, this should be plugged in somewhere. But I don't see a plug of any sort connected to this thing…"  
"Hmm… can I try something?" Cobalt said, nudging Katelyn aside and picking up the receiver. Putting it to his ear, Cobalt's eyes narrowed as he tried to listen for anything.

"Umm… my friends, would you kindly leave the Altar for a moment?" Saika interjected, still looking at the camera mounted on the ceiling. "It wouldn't be ideal if you all get in trouble…"

Cobalt tapped at the wooden table impatiently, then took the receiver away from his head, shrugging.  
"Not even a dial tone. Just silence." He simply said. "But I suppose it is worth a shot…"  
Putting the receiver back onto his head, he began speaking to the phone as if there was someone on the other end.  
"Umm…hello? Personally I don't believe in the baloney that miss priestess over here was spouting, but if anyone is even listening at the other end… I wish something can be done about the Splatfests. Everyone's lost their spirit, and now they've even stopped playing Turf Wars because of it. And…" His eyes narrowed for a moment, as he recalled something. "…I'm sorry I threatened you guys at gunpoint. Turf Wars mean a lot more to me than simply a sport, and I'm sure it meant a lot to Chris, my new friends over here, and every citizen of Inkopolis as well. If there's anything that can be done about it, I'll gladly sacrifice myself to the jaws of Cthulhu if it means we can go back to the old days. So…"

There was a moment of silence as Cobalt contemplated what to say next, then he simply put the receiver back down, chuckling to himself.  
"Man, that was rather out of character for me, wasn't it?" he laughed. "Well, I guess this lead's a bust. Any ideas, Chris?" His laughter died in his throat as he saw the other three staring at him in slight disbelief, while Saika was still trying to gesture to them that a camera's been recording their actions so far.  
"Wow…" Katelyn said. "Didn't strike you as the dramatic type."  
"Umm…yeah, me too." Mei-Lin added. "You really are a serious player."  
"Well," Chris finished, "Even if this lead's a bust, we still got something out of it, the legend behind the Splatfest itself. It should lead us somewhere if-"

Suddenly, a harsh beep tone interrupted his sentence, and the group looked at the Altar as it started to print something. Saika stopped trying to get their attention and looked at the Altar as well.  
"Gods be praised…" the priestess said, smiling. "It would appear your cry for help has reached the gods."

* * *

"By my good mama's shell…" Steve mouthed, looking at the scene before him. The Splatfest Altar had just finishing printing another message, and now the camera had zoomed in onto the page itself.

Just as before, the message had a flat white background with an ornate border. However the four crosses had been replaced by + signs, and the one on the top left was shimmering in a rainbow color. The contents of the message itself was no less cryptic:

 _ **Your cry for help has been received.  
For the spirit of the land to be restored, the partaking of the four virtues shall be required.  
The spirit of Infrastructure awaits in the heart of civilization.  
Where life first took root, and flourished.  
May your pilgrimage be steady and stable.  
**_

Steve looked at Hermit, which had been looking at the image for a while now. Noticing he was being watched, he turned to the prawn. The light from the news screen revealed his features were obscured by some sort of ornate mask.

"Has this all been recorded?" the cloaked man asked, "If you went so far as to install backup batteries in case of unexpected power outages, this is all recorded already, right? I advise you to inform my college and let him know the Altar printed something."

"Don't tell me how to do my job!" the prawn spat back, "But you're right, I'll do that." Pulling out a phone, he quickly tapped a contact and plugged in the phone to the headset he wore. Soon, the phone clicked as someone picked up from the other end.

"Ugh…hello?" Haddock's voice resounded from Steve's headset.  
"Ah right, Brother Haddock, right?" Steve replied, speaking into a built in mic. "One of your colleges by the name of Brother Hermit just advised me to send some footage to you. The Splatfest Altar just printed something."

"Excuse me?!" Haddock replied, the sounds of shuffling bedsheets being heard from the other end. "I see… this could be big news. I'll get that footage to the media. You go ahead and inform the Squid Sisters about the news. By the way…"  
"Hmm? What is it?"  
"…nothing much. I am acquainted with each and every one of my colleges in the Shrine of Guidance. But this the first time I heard of a Brother Hermit. You sure you got that name right?"  
"Huh?!"

Steve turned around to where the cloaked man was, but had seemingly vanished into thin air. There was no trace of anyone else besides Steve ever being there, as if the cloaked man were a figment of his imagination.

* * *

 **AN: You would not believe how hard it is to come up with an original religious story that would fit right into the Splatoon universe. I've had this idea for a while now, but actually executing it is REALLY HARD. Well at least I don't need to think about it anymore for the time being.  
** **That being said, I had no idea of why I'm getting so little reviews (PizzaLovingTurtle, that advice is only fitting if I want GOOD reviews, but what I want is more reviews in general, burn not intended). Then my family of all places told me that it might be because this story is too complicated even by Splatoon standards. Granted, my family aren't gamers by a long shot, but I see where they are coming from. Simpler stories get more attention because they are easier to comprehend. That being said I'm not stopping with this anytime soon because if even ONE guy enjoyed my story I'll take the satisfaction nevertheless.**


	12. Backhanded Deals

**Backhanded Deals**

* * *

"'The heart of civilization, where life first took root, and flourished'. Hmm… whaddya reckon this could mean?"

The gang had gathered outside the doorway that led to the Splatfest Altar while Saika was taking the time to clean the dust that had accumulated all over the room inside. Sitting down at the wooden table, they looked at the message that the Splatfest Altar just printed, placed right in the center.

"This is fairly cryptic, but I can't help but feel that it may not be as complicated as it seems." Chris mused. "Mei-Lin, reckon the notes you took down would help in any way?"  
"Oh. Umm…" Mei-Lin took out her notepad and flipped through it a few times. "…wait, I think I got it. It said to 'partake in the four virtues' and it mentioned a pilgrimage of some sort. Do you think it has something to do with the four crosses that the Guiding Light allegedly left behind?"  
"Sounds plausible." Katelyn replied, pointing at the page. "Look, four crosses, and four of those plus signs on this page. With one of them being a rainbow color, I'm fairly certain we're supposed to head to one of those crosses in question first."  
"What, we're doing these one at a time?" Cobalt said, "Sounds like linear progression in a video game. Hey, that actually sounds pretty cool!" He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Wait…but where are we headed?"

There was a brief silence as the group thought about it for a while, as another burst of dust emanated from the Altar room. The priestess could be heard coughing from inside.

"Hey. I…" Mei-Lin eventually said.  
"What is it?" Chris replied, looking at her. "Spit it out, if you got any idea where our destination is…"  
"Oh, I'm only taking a guess." She replied sheepishly, "But won't the 'heart of civilization where life first took root' indicate that we're looking at where our ancestors first settled down and laid the foundations for Inkopolis?"  
A moment of clarity hit everyone as they realized what she just said.  
"Hey, that's brilliant!" Chris said excitedly. "This cross is associated with Infrastructure, so it would only make sense we're looking for where the very foundations of the city are!"  
"Sounds like we got a lead! Good job, Mei-Lin!" Katelyn said, patting her in the back.  
"I-it's nothing, really." Mei-Lin replied, somewhat shyly. "Anyone can put it together, I'm sure…"

"So… what now?" Cobalt said, "Are we looking for a few ancient steel girders or something with the cross neatly placed next to them?"  
"Doubt it'd be that simple, Cobalt." Chris replied, "Mei-Lin, think you bought any books on that subject?"  
Mei-Lin obliged, rifling through her backpack and taking out a book titled 'History of Inkopolis'. Chris happily accepted the book from her and rifled through the thick book, eventually stopping onto a page depicting a bunch of Inklings building huts next to a large river and fishing in the river, while a group of jellyfish watered fields of grain with buckets of water.  
"Many think that Inkopolis Tower is the center of Inkling civilization," Chris began reading out loud, "but this structure was only built shortly after the Great Turf War ended, and Turf Wars became truly popular as an activity. The truth may be surprising to some readers.  
While water is considered a lethal hazard to Inklings, the fact that this substance sparks life in many other organisms is undeniable. Fish are caught from sources of water such as a river, serving as sustenance for our ancestors, while fields of produce are enriched with water, and grow larger. This right here is an artist's impression of what our earliest ancestors were like: the small huts that would within hundreds of years eventually become the city we all know and love. This is a general rule that can be observed in the flourishing of life everywhere: whether there was an aversion to water or not, the very first were always built next to sources of water, such as a river."

"Near water you say?" Katelyn said, perplexed. "Huh, so much for my guess. Here I thought Inkopolis Tower was where Inkopolis was built around."  
"So let me sum this up." Cobalt said, looking at the book that Chris now closed and stowed away in Mei-Lin's backpack, "We're looking for something that may be located near water, and also very old…." His eyes perked up as a brainwave hit him. "Bluefin Depot…Bluefin Depot! That's it! That place is possibly the oldest location in Inkopolis, because the place is an abandoned train station! It's located near a body of water, and I've seen fishing boats there every so often! I think Callie and Marie also mentioned something about ghost sightings during their stage announcements at times."  
"Pretty sure those were just jellyfish and Judd meandering about." Chris replied, "But I think you got a point. If we're looking for those crosses, that is a good starting point to start searching. We don't even have to go that far, Bluefin Depot is only a few streets away from where we are right now."  
"Then it's settled then!" Cobalt got up and prepared to walk towards the shrine entrance. "C'mon, let's get going!"

"Wait!" Katelyn shouted, and Cobalt stopped abruptly. "We forgot to do that thing!"  
"That…thing?" Cobalt repeated slowly, as he didn't catch what she meant.  
"Did you forget already, silly?" Katelyn got up and pulled Cobalt's arm and him along with it to the table. "Our group cheer! We didn't actually ever do that!"  
"Oh, right!" Cobalt's eyes lit up in realization. "Uh….you lead. I dunno what to do here."

"Alright then!" Katelyn held her right arm forward, the palm of her hand hovering over the center of the table.  
"I pledge that I will do my best to bring Splatfests back! I wish for my friends to smile with the radiance of the sun!" Katelyn shouted.  
Cobalt got the gist of what she's doing, and put his hand on top of hers.  
"I will fight to bring Splatfests back, in turn to bring Turf Wars back! I shall dedicate my body and soul to this mission!"  
Chris nodded in approval, and put his hand on top of Cobalt's.  
"I shall bring Splatfests back. For the friends I have made this day, for Cobalt, and for the people of Inkopolis, my support in this team is absolute."  
Chris turned to Mei-Lin, who hesitated for a brief moment before putting a shaking arm on top of the other three inklings.  
"I…um… I will do my best. I cannot fight, I cannot think. But with my companions beside me, I shall do whatever I can to help everyone. I…that's probably good enough."

"Okay, now for the finale!" Katelyn yelled, and nodded to the three inklings before her. "Altogether now! 1…2…3!"

"BOOYAH!" The group cheered, raising their arms in the air.

The priestess, who just finished polishing the Splatfest Altar with a dust cloth, witnessed the scene and smiled.  
"The youth of today really does shine brightly." She thought to herself. "Guiding Light, if you can hear me, guide these children to their destination."

* * *

"You sure you aren't coming?" Cobalt asked the priestess. The group has gathered outside just under the archway that led to the Shrine of Guidance, with Saika standing just inside the stone fence and leaning next to a dead Sakura tree.

The priestess shook her head and smiled. "Please, I politely decline. I rarely travel outside my shrine, and I'd likely just be a hindrance. I'll be sending prayers of goodwill from here, and that's good enough for me."  
"Aww c'mon!" Katelyn said, slightly disappointed. "After that little test thing you pulled? You're fast. Like…REALLY fast! You'll be a great help! Are you not good at fighting or something?"  
"Fighting isn't one of my stronger points." Saika said serenely. "As a Shrine Maiden, I've pledged myself to a vow of pacifism. I only taught myself to avoid combat, and to peacefully end battles. Lethal weapons aren't part of my expertise."  
"Why, shot yourself in the face once or something?" Cobalt interjected.  
To his surprise, Saika's smile actually faded for a moment as an embarrassed frown replaced it, and she blushed intently.  
"Umm…" she said sheepishly. "How did you know?"  
"Oh come on!" Cobalt shouted, exasperated, "I was only taking a wild shot here!"  
"You are entirely correct, I tried my hand on using ink weapons once." Saika covered her face in embarrassment as her face flushed in a bright red color. "Every single time the weapon either explodes in my face or I end up coating myself in ink instead. It was so humiliating…"  
"Well then." Katelyn said, matter-of-factly. "We won't intrude any longer then, Miss Saika. Thank you for the information!"  
The priestess composed herself, and gave a farewell wave to the retreating party, a heartwarming smile on her face.

* * *

"Didn't take the shrine maiden as a weapons ditz." Cobalt said, walking along the streets that led to Bluefin Depot.  
"Well, it just goes to show that nobody is perfect, you know." Chris replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Somebody truly perfect is totally uninteresting, after all. No growth whatsoever."  
"Oy, If I may cut in on this lil' conversation…" a heavily accented voice said from a corner.

The group abruptly turned at the sound of the voice, and Katelyn and Mei-Lin shrieked in surprise. In a darkened alleyway, a single yellowish eye with sharp green pupils were staring back in the gloomy darkness, along with an ominous spiky shape that would surprise anyone in…a dark alleyway.  
"Spyke?" Cobalt said in recognition. "Is that you?"

The hunched figure in the alleyway stood up, and a being reached out into the sunlight, with long spindly orange arms, a shawl draped over his shoulders, and a head of spiky hair resembling a Sea Urchin, the solitary eye peering at the group, with another eye hidden beneath the spiky hair.  
"Cobalt, you know this guy?" Katelyn shuddered, with Mei-Lin hiding behind her as both shivered in fright.  
"Any Turfer worth their ink know me, love." The literal street urchin replied. Spyke is a bit of a shady one, often spotted skulking in the back alleyways of Inkopolis Plaza and offering to Inklings his peculiar services, which usually involves getting clothing that resemble ones picked out for him, or more famously his specialty of using Super Sea Snails to upgrade gear. Though many are intimidated by his appearance and avoid the back alleyways altogether, others know the name of Spyke rather well and often recommend other inklings to him as if he were any other shopkeeper, though there were whispers that he gets his resources with methods that are, to put it one way, less than savory. He was considered trustworthy enough by many high-levelled players, however.

"Nice to meet you too, Spyke." Chris said, "I take it business isn't going too well?"  
"You don't know the half of it, love." Spyke sighed, and sat down on the pavement. "No Splatfests, no Super Sea Snails for me to ea-, I mean, procure to help my fellow entrepreneurs with their gear. And now, all me remaining customers had done a runner thanks to everyone upping sticks with Turf Wars altogether. Enough to make any street urchin lose their quills, I'll tell ya that much."  
"That's a shame." Cobalt replied, crouching down to Spyke's eye level. "We're on our way to attempt to get them back, but somehow we've gotten ourselves in a scavenger hunt. I don't suppose you know anything about the 'oldest place in Inkopolis'? We think Bluefin Depot is a place to start."  
"Ah, that's why I wanted to speak with y'all. In this alleyway, better with no eyes and ears lookin' at us." Spyke said, and looked at the girls which shuddered at his gaze. "You two sheilas as well. Don't worry, I don't bite. Much."

* * *

The group followed the street urchin into the dark alleyway with some trepidation, Mei-Lin in particular hid behind Katelyn all the way. Stopping onto a mat on the floor with one or two Super Sea Snails looking at the group, the sea urchin sat down with a sigh.

Katelyn immediately kneeled down and looked at the Super Sea Snail, with a widening grin on her face.  
"Ooooo, is that a Super Sea Snail?!" Katelyn said happily, looking at the tiny creature. "It's so cute! What is your name?"  
The little round shelled blue creature stared at her with little black eyes and simply replied with a puzzled 'coo'. Katelyn figuratively melted into a blissful expression, and began coddling the little creature with a silly smile on her face. Mei-Lin looked from behind her with a slight look of concern.  
"You better watch it there, mate." Spyke said sternly. "Those things are worth their weight in gold, thirty thousand cred per snail. If so much as a scratch ends up on the lil' critter…"  
Katelyn immediately put down the creature gently on the mat, both her and the snail sighing in disappointment.

"Now, I better start from the top." Spyke began, looking at Chris and Cobalt. "I overheard your lil' conversation with the priestess."  
"You did?" Chris replied, "I presume you heard everything about the legends and our destination, right?"  
The sea urchin nodded. "Yes, and I do have a lil nugget of info of my own to share with ya. That's why I pulled y'all in here."  
"Is that so?" Cobalt replied, slightly suspicious. "What's it to you? Knowing you there's lots of money to be made in the future. Are you expecting us to pay up for the info?"

"Ah, well here's the rub." Spyke sneered in a fashion that made the other Sea Snails hop backward slightly in fear. "Y'all already did, in a matter of sense. If Splatfests come back, then my businesses will resume with my broad clientele. Y'all scratched my back already, so I might as well scratch yours."  
"I see…" Cobalt said, tapping his gas mask thoughtfully. "So… what do you know?"

"I happen to have seen that cross myself with my own eyes." Spyke replied, which got Katelyn and Mei-Lin's attention, the former barely stopping herself from ogling the Super Sea Snails any longer.  
"Really?!" Katelyn interjected. "So where is it? Tell us, it'll make our journey so much easier!"  
Spyke held out a slender arm to stop Katelyn. "Relax, love. I haven't mentioned the catch yet."  
"There's a catch?" Katelyn replied, frowning. "Does it involve money or…?"  
"Nothing that trivial." The sea urchin replied. "I've seen that cross smack-dab in the center of Backwater Barricade. It's not too far from Bluefin Depot."

"Backwater Barricade…?" Mei-Lin repeated, puzzled. "Umm… none of my books mentioned such a place."  
"You won't find anything on it in those thick pamphlets of yours." Spyke replied. "Backwater Barricade is hidden from outside eyes and ears, and for very good reason. If you think I look like some shady crook, you should've seen the residents of Backwater Barricade. Place is crawling with every lowlife you can ever imagine. Lowlife that can scrape a living with contraband of surprising quality, mind ya. I always pay a visit there whenever I need gear that can't simply be procured in the… usual fashion."  
"So the inhabitants are less than friendly?" Chris asked. "Is that the only problem?"  
"No, that's not just it, love. Backwater Barricade is a series of alleyways and back passages haphazardly glued together and expanded since the less-than-charitable folk moved in. If you aren't careful, you could get lost in there forever. There's only one entrance to the maze, and it requires…payment in a sense."  
"Which is?" Chris raised an eyebrow.  
"Well…this." Spyke picked up the Super Sea Snail that Katelyn put down earlier, and it began rattling in its shell. "Backwater Barricade is predominantly an Urchin hideout. Hold on to it, and the boys'll let you in faster than you can say 'down the hatch'. As for the entrance itself, I can lead y'all to it, but once you're in you are on your own. I'm in no mood to meet 'THE BOSS'."  
"The boss? What kind of name is that?" Cobalt asked. "And should I be concerned?"  
Skype perked up as he realized something important. "Ah, right. 'THE BOSS', in big capital letters, he's the head honcho of Backwater Barricade. If you run into him…well I don't think even the gates of R'lyeh will stop him from coming after you. I'll tell you this much: avoid the sound of an electric guitar. Then you'll be fine."  
"Electric…wha?" Katelyn repeated, utterly bamboozled.

"That's all, really." Spyke finished. "Oh, and one last thing, meet me at night just outside of Bluefin Depot, give it…" he looked up at the sun in the distance. "…3-4 hours. Go get a coffee while you wait or somethin'. The entrance only reveals itself at a specific timeframe. Ah right and…" he held out the Super Sea Snail to Katelyn, and she squeed in delight as she took it and held it in her arms, the sea snail looking equally ecstatic. "You better hold on to that for now love, and be careful with it. I'll meet y'all in the docks after sundown, I got business to attend to."  
"Okay, thanks Spyke!" Katelyn said happily, hugging the sea snail tightly. "We'll see you later!"

The group retreated from the alleyway, and after a brief conversation outside split up in various directions as they all went to find something to do. Seeing them leave, Spyke turned to the remaining Super Sea Snail.  
"Well then mate." He said, withdrawing a screwdriver from his pocket and smiling, revealing a set of sharp teeth. "Guess yer the unlucky one. Hold still, I'll make this quick and painless."

The remaining Sea Snail immediately started sweating and rattled loudly in its shell, before the sun began to set and cloaked the alleyway in shadows.

* * *

 **AN: Here's a fun little tidbit. While I do make the attempt to come up with original ideas, I did slot in obscure references here and there, just for fun. If you can recognize any of those, you get a free cookie. They are a lot more buried than your average reference though, so keep your eyes peeled.  
** **On that note, it does pay to note the finer details in general. A good example of storytelling is using a specific selection of words to tell a bit more than what it may seem at first glance...**


	13. Under Cover of Moonlight

**Under Cover of Moonlight**

* * *

"Hey, tell me, Katelyn. Why did you decide you want to name him?"  
"Hmm?"

The sun has set over the horizon, plunging the area around Bluefin Depot into darkness. As street lights began to flicker on all over the area, Mei-Lin and Katelyn are seen huddling underneath a sheltered bench located just outside Bluefin Depot, a blanket of snow covering the bench above them. The former was holding a half-finished cup of coffee and the latter was gently carrying the Super Sea Snail given to her earlier, the little shelled creature rattling slightly in the winter chill.

"I just thought…" Mei-Lin continued, "Well, Spyke mentioned that the Super Sea Snail is meant to be payment of some variety, you might have to part ways with it soon, so…" She stopped talking when she realized that Katelyn's too busy warming the sea snail with her arms and hugging it tightly to listen to her.  
"Oh, forget I asked." Mei-Lin said, taking another sip from her cup. "I was only wondering, since…"  
"That's a stupid question!" Katelyn finally replied, a grin on her face. "A little cutie like this fellah deserves a name! Right, little guy?"  
"Coo!" the sea snail squeaked, prompting another burst of pure bliss from Katelyn as a silly smile blossomed on her face.

Mei-Lin simply shrugged, and set her coffee cup beside her. Rummaging through her backpack, she withdrew a sketchbook and a pencil. Noticing this, Katelyn perked up.  
"Ooo!" She exclaimed, "What are you drawing now?"  
"Ah, I just thought…you'd like a picture with the sea snail before we set off." Mei-Lin replied, opening the sketchbook and facing Katelyn. "Anyway… Could you just…face me? And hold him like….yeah, that's good." Katelyn happily obliged, with the sea snail looking curiously at Mei-Lin as she began to do a quick sketch of the scene before her.

"We're back! How's it going?" A voice called out from the left of the sheltered bench. Stopping briefly from her sketch, Mei-Lin turned to the source of the voice to see Chris and Cobalt approaching them. Interestingly, Cobalt appears to be carrying two Sploosh-o-matics in both hands, casually tossing them into the air and catching them.  
"Oh hey!" Katelyn exclaimed, looking over Mei-Lin's shoulder and seeing the boys approaching them. "Mei-Lin's just been drawing me and the Sea Snail here!"  
"You draw?" Chris said, looking at Mei-Lin's sketchbook. "Huh, you're actually pretty good at this!"  
Mei-Lin blushed a slight auburn color from the remark. "Ah…it's nothing much really, honest…" she mumbled under her breath.  
"I know, right?" Katelyn replied loudly, "Mei-Lin actually won an art contest for the Snowballs and Skiing Splatfest! She's extremely talented when it comes to drawing, and I've always seen her draw up…until…" The rest of the words died in her throat as she realized what she almost bought up, and as Mei-Lin visibly reacted and stopped sketching abruptly. There was a brief awkward silence in the air, aside from the Sea Snail cooing curiously, not being able to read the atmosphere.

"So… what have you two been doing while we were away?" Cobalt finally said, at an attempt to break the tension.  
"Oh, right, right!" Katelyn replied hurriedly. "We were trying to come up with a name for this little fellah right here! I can't think of anything good right off the bat, so I was asking Mei-Lin the whole time while you two were away!"  
"Yeah, she was." Mei-Lin said, putting down her sketchbook and finishing the last of her coffee. "I think she's gotten a bit too attached to the little guy."  
"Oh c'mon Mei-Lin! Anyone would be attached to them! Look at 'im! He's so cute!" Katelyn held up the Sea Snail high in the air which responded with an excited giggle. "I always wonder why people never bother to keep them after Splatfests, they're little bundles of therapy if you ask me! First time I ever gotten one of these guys!"  
"Huh? Didn't you receive Super Sea Snails after that last Splatfest?" Chris asked, "Even the lowest ranked player on the losing team gets at least two snails for participating, you never got one?"  
Katelyn stopped playing with the snail for a moment and put it down gently. "Ah, well…" she said awkwardly. "I wasn't at the plaza at the time when…THAT…happened. I think you remember by now why I wasn't around." Dismissively shaking her head, she turned to Cobalt. "Hey, Gas-face! Don't suppose you got any idea who to name this fellah?"  
"Don't call me Gas-face." Cobalt replied, slightly offended. "Well… let me think."

Cobalt leaned at the side of the sheltered bench for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, he perked up and looked at the sea snail.  
"How about naming him Salty?" He said.  
"Excuse me?" Katelyn replied, puzzled. "Why…Salty?"  
"It's the classic phase to describe sore losers." Cobalt said with a straight tone. "And why the heck not? It's totally fitting since every Splatfest we fight over these guys, salt comes standard with all Splatfests."

A chilling winter wind blew through the road as the rest of the gang digested the absurdity of the name. In the distance two inkling bystanders, presumably brothers on an evening stroll sneezed loudly as the gale blew past them.

The Super Sea Snail eventually broke the awkward silence with a cheerful 'coo'.  
"See? He likes it!" Cobalt said, laughing. "Alright, from now on, your name is Salty!"  
Chris made a 'cuckoo' gesture behind Cobalt's back, with Katelyn nodding gently in agreement while trying not to bust out laughing. Even Mei-Lin was struggling to keep a straight face.

"So now that that's out of the way," Katelyn said, gently patting the newly-named Salty on his head, "What were you two up to? Cobalt seems to have bought a second weapon with him."  
"Ah, right." Cobalt replied, holding up the weapons in his hands. Upon closer examination, one of them was the Neo Sploosh-o-Matic he kept around, while the other was a normal Sploosh-o-Matic differentiated only by the lack of a manufacturer sticker. "That was Chris's idea. Mentioned something about danger and stocking up on ordinance, those were the only things I caught. So I bought along one of my spare weapons, never used it since it's not exactly my playstyle, but having extra options available doesn't hurt."  
"I bought along a charger, never know if we might need to keep our distance." Chris added, holding up a New Squiffer that was strapped to his back.  
"A…charger?" Mei-Lin asked, perplexed.  
"Long ranged offensive weapon, designed to send a long line of ink for very long distances from far away." Chris explained, "Instantly splats anyone hit by the stream too, but personally I never use them because I never found them very useful for my team, by covering turf or taking out opponents. I only bought this along in case my Dual Squelcher's not adequate enough."  
"Ah I see." Mei-Lin said. "Sorry for asking, I'm not that knowledgeable when it comes to Turf Wars…"  
"It's okay. Speaking of, where's Spyke anyway?"

"Been here since an hour ago, love." A voice replied. A shadow detached itself from a nearby alley and became Spyke. "Not a bad idea ta bring extra weapons for the trip, boys. Backwater Barricade is fairly dangerous for outsiders." He then looked at the girls. "Though… you two gonna be alright? I don't see weapons on you two. You two really okay for the trip?"  
"It's okay, I can pull double duty taking care of both Mei-Lin and Salty here." Katelyn replied, tapping the Inkbrush Nouveau holstered to her back. "I'm no damsel in distress, ya hear?"

Spyke raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. "Wait, who's Sal…" He frowned slightly as he realized what was going on. "Hmm, I see you named the Super Sea Snail. I don't think that's much of a good idea."  
"Why?" Katelyn replied, gently patting Salty which was shaking slightly from Spyke's gaze.  
"Well, let me put it that way…" Spyke sighed. "My merch comes and goes, and I do need every last credit. I can't spare sentiments for even one, so I don't usually bother naming them. No sense trying to maintain a bond that doesn't last very long."  
Katelyn remained silent, simply looking down at the sea snail and gently patting its shell.

"Well, it's almost time to go." Spyke said, looking at the moon in the sky. "We better hustle, we have little time before the way to the Barricade opens."  
Checking to see that nobody was watching them, Spyke waved the group towards a back alley that seemed to curve into Bluefin Depot itself, with Chris and Mei-Lin following close to the urchin while Cobalt and Katelyn lagged behind. While he kept silent about it, Cobalt was certain that he saw the slightest glint of a tear in Katelyn's eyes.

* * *

Bluefin Depot itself wasn't much of a sight. While this abandoned train station had seem much activity when it was used for Turf Wars, the location had now fallen into further disrepair now that nobody played Turf Wars anymore, the corroded metal that formed the structure creaking ominously as if the entire place would fall apart at any given moment.  
Currently, Spyke and our heroes are currently perched on one of the many concrete roads surrounding the area that formed the harbor around the depot itself, the rolling waves of the sea only a few steps away from their position.

"Sooo…" Cobalt said, looking around puzzled. "What are we doing here so close to the water?"  
"Patience, love." Spyke replied, staring at a spot in the water. "Just give it a few more minutes, and you'll be on your way."  
"Would you mind explaining why we're so close to the sea?" Chris asked, looking at the water nervously. "I don't feel like breathing in this salty air any longer than necessary." He rubbed his throat in discomfort as the sea air made his breathing slightly uncomfortable.  
"Can this have anything to do with this 'timeframe' you mentioned?" Mei-Lin asked, examining the water levels. "Taking a guess, this is something to do with the tides of the sea, is it?"  
Spyke snapped his fingers at Mei-Lin. "Precisely, love. You're a sharp one, I give ya that. Ya see, Backwater Barricade's entrance is only revealed at certain times of day, in accordance to the moon in the sky. Notice anything with the water?"

Sure enough, the water appears to have been slowly building up as the moon rose higher in the sky. The waves lapped higher and higher, some of the salt water splashing up onto the harbor a few meters away from the group. While the inklings cautiously began to step away from the encroaching water, Spyke had been staring at a specific spot in the water the entire time.  
"Just a bit more and…"  
As the waves reached a certain point, a buoy suddenly bubbled up from the bottom of where Spyke has been looking at the entire time. Many things happened at once afterwards in quick succession: a concrete wall abruptly rose up out of the sea bed, blocking out most of the sea and leaving a large pool of saltwater; a sound like a plunger being pulled out of a sink resounded from the pool; the water quickly being funneled out of the pool through what appears to be a grate at the very bottom of it. While the inklings stared agape at the scene before them, Spyke chuckled loudly at their reaction, until the water stopped draining and leaving a damp sea bed with a few unfortunate fish flopping meekly on the sand. Finally, the grate slid open with a *clunk*, leaving a sizeable hole just big enough for one inkling to fit in at a time.

"Well…this wasn't something I expected." Chris said, still trying to digest what just happened.  
"Oddly convoluted way to hide an entrance, if you ask me." Cobalt commented, "So, we're expected to go inside that hole? I dunno, looks very risky, you do realize saltwater is liquid death for us right?"  
"I'm sure the snowcoat o' yours should suffice in blocking out the water." Spyke replied. "Anyhow, the guards should be coming out soon."  
"Huh?"

Out of the hole, a pair of spindly orange arms gripped onto the sides, and pulled up a tall urchin from its depths, followed by a second shorter one that grunted with effort before pulling himself out of the entrance.  
"Oy, Riley!" the latter urchin said, looking around. "Ya sure we can't just remake da entrance or somethin'? All this climbin' is tirin' me out!"  
"Aww shaddap Beano!" the tall urchin named Riley replied. "We've been through this so many times, we don't have ta worry about coast guards catchin' us if the entrance is hidden like this!" He began scooping up the fish that were flopping about on the seabed, drooling as he did so. "'sides, we're getting easy dinner like this! Fancy somma that sashimi tonight, mate?"

"Sounds good ta me!" the urchin named Beano replied, then noticed Spyke looking at them. "Oy, Spyke! Haven't seen ya in a while! How'sa business doin'?"  
"Spyke? Hey there boyo, and-" Riley then noticed the inklings next to him, and panicked. "SPYKE! You've got coupla them inklings tailin' ya! Ice dem, quick!"  
"Relax Riley, they're with me." Spyke reassured, though Riley still looked at the group with suspicion written all over his face.

"Nice to meet you too." Cobalt said, hopping down from the concrete harbor. "Now don't suppose you'll let us be on our way? We have important business to take care of."  
"Well, if yer one of Spyke's…eh…colleges," Beano replied, glaring at the team with a look he likely thought was intimidating, "Sure you're aware of the entry fee, yah?"  
"Yeah, we are." Chris said, jumping down and helping Mei-Lin down as well. "We got the Super Sea Snail with us. Katelyn, come down here…Katelyn?"

Katelyn, oddly quiet for the entire trip since they came from outside Bluefin Depot, looked up for a moment from Salty, hopping down from the harbor to join the rest of the team.  
"Oh, right." She said flatly, gently patting Salty as the little critter began to tremble at the sight of the two urchin goons. "He's here. Can you let us into Backwater Barricade?"  
"Well, well!" Beano sneered, barely hiding a drop of slobber dripping down from the corner of his mouth. "Oy, Riley! Sounds like we won't just be havin' fish again fer tonight!"  
"Yes, everything seems ta check out over here." Riley added, a glint of hunger in his eyes. "Guess we'll do ya a solid and guide ya along!"

The two urchins hopped down the hole in the middle, Beano hopping down too eagerly and resulted in a metallic clang as something hard collided with a ladder that was seemingly out of view.  
"Guess you're in." Spyke said, turning and putting a hand on the harbor as he prepared to climb back out. "Well, good luck with looking for the cross. Me, I'm going to be back to scrounging up whatever I can as usual. Cheers, love." With that, he vaulted himself up onto the harbor and wandered out of view.

With some trepidation, Chris went into the entrance first, using his snowcoat to cover his hands so the saltwater dripping off of the metal ladder didn't burn his hands. After Chris disappeared from view, Mei-Lin followed suit, nervously glancing downward before climbing down the ladder rungs. Cobalt began to follow the two, but not before taking a second to talk to Katelyn.

"Hey…" He said, "I know you're likely nervous having to take the sea snail down there, but…"  
Katelyn turned to Cobalt with a somewhat forced smile. "It's fine, Cobalt. You don't have to worry about me or Salty, I'll think of something."  
Cobalt raised an eyebrow at that remark. "You sure? Look, if you're having second thoughts about this, just tell me. Spyke mentioned bonding with the Super Sea Snail is-"  
"I SAID, I'll be fine!" Katelyn interrupted, her voice slightly strained, "Just…just go on ahead. I'll be right behind you, okay?"

There was a slight pause as Cobalt ogled Katelyn for a brief moment, before he shrugged and turned towards the entrance and began climbing down the ladder, stopping for a moment to look at Katelyn one last time.  
"Whatever you say so," Cobalt said, "But don't do anything you'll regret, okay? I rather not have things get more complicated than they already are, if it's all the same to you." Turning to look at the climb below him, he disappeared from view, leaving Katelyn to wander to the hole in the ground.

Salty began to shiver in fear as voices of urchins emanated from the entrance as Katelyn got close to it. Noticing this, the girl patted the sea snail reassuringly, before giving the critter a tight hug.  
"It's okay, Salty. I'm scared too." She said, looking down at the faint light coming from the bottom. "But I'll protect you. I'm not going to lose another friend, I promise you that. C'mon, let's not keep them waiting."  
Slipping the sea snail into a pocket, Katelyn climbed down the ladder as well, leaving nothing but the sound of dripping seawater.

Or rather, that is what it seemed like from first glance. Not too far away, Spyke watched as Katelyn disappeared down the ladder. There was a brief moment of the street urchin glancing at the entrance to Backwater Barricade before shaking his head and chuckled to himself.

"Oh Spyke." He laughed to himself. "You've really went and gone soft, ain'tcha?" With that said, he leaped out of his hiding spot and climbed down the ladder after the team, just as a grate slid over the entrance alongside a trapdoor, and the concrete barriers keeping the ocean out descended underground, flooding the pool and leaving no trace of it ever being there.

* * *

 **AN: My god, this took WAY longer than it should to be released. Note to self: never procrastinate on time-sink games like Skyrim, you'll stop writing for a week at least.  
** **On a behind-the-scenes note, I'm headed to Melbourne in 4 days as of this writing to start my University courses, which means no more playing Splatoon (boo hiss). Now I bet you're probably wondering: why is a university student wasting his time writing fanfiction about squid kids when he should be worrying about more serious stuff? Well as stated before I have a serious procrastination problem so submitting chapters on a regular basis is a simulation of what I may need to expect in the future, gets me in the right mindset if that makes any sense.**


	14. Maze of the Minotaur

**Maze of the Minotaur**

* * *

The sound of rushing water echoed behind the team, as they followed the two suspect urchins through a series of dimly lit tunnels. As they traversed through the winding passageways, the sound slowly faded into an echo in the distance, until there was only the sound of steadily dripping water bouncing off the damp walls.

"Chris, I'm not so sure about this…" Mei-Lin whispered, just out of earshot of Riley as they passed by another dark corner. "This feels like a scam."  
"Of course it is." Chris replied, also keeping his voice down. "But I don't think we have a choice. We'll need to find a window of opportunity to lose those urchins."

"Hey, what's-your-name!" Cobalt said to the taller of the two urchins they were following, seemingly not entirely aware of the possibility of betrayal. "I assume you two know a lot about Backwater Barricade?"  
"Da name be Riley, if you so please!" The taller urchin replied. "And ya, me n' Beano, da's shortie in the way, we live in these tunnels. Even den tho, I get lost damn easy in these here passages! So eh, you and yer company better stick close, otherwise you'd be stuck down here for a damn long time! Heh heh heh!"

Taking a right in an unlit crossroads, the team passed by a couple of alcoves embedded into the wall, Peering into one of them, Mei-Lin was met with the sight of an urchin staring back, dressed in a collection of dirty rags that he seemed to think is clothing and staring at her with a solitary manic eye, his other eye outright missing with a socket where it should be. Not even making any sound, the urchin simply waved at a loose collection of hats neatly arranged in front of him, and wheezed as he pointed at Mei-Lin's credits pouch.  
Trying to act as if she didn't see him, Mei-Lin instantly turned back and followed the urchins leading the way with a sprint, rushing past Chris who was briefly taken aback, and as she stopped slightly past Beano and breathing heavily, she staggered briefly and leaned onto a nearby mossy wall for support.

"Seems you've met ol' Petey!" Beano said, laughing loudly. "He may not look de part, but 'es amazin' at…eh… imitatin', if ye catch my drift. Don't let 'is looks fool ye, oi reckon he's made better merch than what de officials churn out! Doesn't like ta speak much tho."  
"Wait, does that mean…" Cobalt briefly tugged at his Vintage Check Shirt with a look of trepidation in his eyes. "I ordered my shirt from Spyke. Did it come from here by any chance?"  
Riley briefly stopped, and examined Cobalt. "Oy, dat be Needler's patchwork you're wearin' there!" Riley exclaimed with a leer. "Glorious bastard is a wizard with a thread, ask 'im to work on a shirt and poof! He weaves one! He's even able ta weave in built-in gear abilities when he gets hisself a bottle o booze ever so often, bless 'im."

"That's actually pretty impressive." Chris said as they went down a slippery slope. "Hard to think quality workers are stuck down here like this, it all seems very unfair."  
"Naw, not really." Beano replied, stopping briefly on a fork in the path and taking the left one. "Ya know Spyke, don'tcha? He's what we like ta call a 'betweener' kinda fellah. He gets dem orders from inklings, he sends 'em tah us, and we give 'em the goods. On occasion he even hoards 'em Super Sea Snails which he sends tah us as…eh… incentive."  
"…you eat them, don't you?" Chris said flatly.  
"Yeah, in a maddah o' speakin'." Riley replied, "Me an' Beano over 'ere, well more 'im than me, we eat a lot of 'em, and come ta think of it everyone that lives down 'ere does as well. But one day though…"  
"…Spyke returned without any snails." Beano continued, "It didn't matter ta us dat much, cuz we be swimming in snails back den. But from that day on, that guy stopped comin' down 'ere with more snails, and our supplies dried up. Think ya can imagine how bloody buggered everyone got after a week."  
"I know, y'all should've seen Beano when I told 'em we oughta eat some of da fish that gets caught by the entrance mechanism." Riley said, chuckling. "Didn't take it very well first time round but now 'e been devouring 'em like dem snails we used to enjoy. Ah guess if it'll fill bellies, we ain't gonna complain what we oughta eat, even if it is saltwater fish."

"Speakin' of snails…" Beano interjected. "'ere we are! Our 'umble abode!"

It wasn't much of a home in the traditional sense, however. After they had rounded what seemed like the thousandth corner that day, they had come to yet another dank corridor that was barely lit with a flickering lightbulb haphazardly on the side of the wall. In the sides, two alcoves were carved into the rock with nothing but medium-sized carpets paving the floor on each end, with a collection of what appear to be stray fish bones and an empty beer bottle on one carpet and a pile of ragged shoes and leather on the other.

"Can't say I find it particularly homely." Cobalt said, looking at the scene before him. "So how far are we from the center of Backwater Barricade?"

Abruptly, the two urchins froze in the middle of sitting down on their respective carpets, and looked at Cobalt as if he spontaneously grew a second head.

"Oy mate. Did mah ears pick dat up proper?" Riley said, his voice quieter than usual. "You peeps are lookin' for the center of Backwater Barricade?"  
"Yes, that is our original intention." Mei-Lin replied. "We were-"  
"Unless ya got a death wish, ya may want ta reconsider." Beano interrupted. "Them's HIS stomping grounds."

"Whose?" Cobalt asked, perplexed.

"Tetanus." Riley hissed. "Many o' us urchins call 'im 'THE BOSS', but trust me when I say that he's 'ardly an employer. We may be…uh… less bound by dem pesky morals, but even most of us thinks Tetanus takes it too damn far."  
"He ain't very subtle." Beano continued, "One time, I saw one of me friends wander about in the tunnels, when we 'eard 'im comin. I was able to slip round a corner, but me companion wasn't so lucky." Beano threw out his arms and blew loudly through his lips. "FWOOSH! Gone in an instant. Not even ashes remainin' ta mark 'is disappearance."  
"Point is," Riley grumbled, "Don't be stupid. If yer crazy 'nuff ta come down 'ere, jus' buy yerself somma dat gear me mates specialize on, and get outta 'ere all quick-like. Look, I'd even give ya a discount fer deliverin dat Sea Snail, I specialize in makin' shoes."

"Speaking of…" Beano said, looking at the group, "Weren't there like four of you when ya entered?"

Chris, Cobalt and Mei-Lin abruptly turned around at once. Sure enough, Katelyn was nowhere to be seen.  
"What the?!" Cobalt shouted, "I was sure she was behind me!"  
"She must have gotten lost!" Mei-Lin said, peeking around the corner, "This place is too dark!"  
"Katelyn had the Super Sea Snail too…" Chris said, rubbing his head in frustration. "Dammit! What now!"

"Ya mean ya done and gone lost it?!" Beano shouted, abruptly getting up and grabbing Cobalt. "Why would ye?! I'm dyin' ta have a taste of snail after so long!"  
"GAH!" Cobalt yelled, trying to hammer away at Beano's thick arms with the butt of his gun. "Quit throttling me! I didn't ask to-"

All of a sudden, what sounded like the wail of a heavy metal guitar screeched loudly from a distant corridor. Riley instantly paled.

"Ah bollocks."

* * *

Katelyn ran as fast as she could. Past the flickering lightbulbs, past the occasional urchin looking up from her presence, past yet another dark crossroads whose lights have burned out. All without looking behind her. At one point, she briefly stumbled over a pebble and almost fell over, but she kept running.

All the while cradling Salty in her arms, trying as hard as she could to not look back.

"How…long…are these tunnels?!" She shouted breathlessly, seeing a crossroads ahead and decisively turning right. Upon seeing the pathway terminate on a solid wall, she made a U-turn and continued to sprint.  
Salty gave a concerned 'coo' at Katelyn, looking back at the tunnels that the girl just ran out of. Katelyn simply silenced him with a gentle pat on his shell, and kept running aimlessly.  
Eventually, her footsteps began to slow down to a brisk jog, and then to a stiff walk, then finally Katelyn was staggering her way along, one hand on the tunnel wall to steady herself.

"Don't worry. I got this." Katelyn breathed, to no one in particular. "I…I got… to be close… am I?"

Katelyn stopped in her tracks, looking around at her surroundings. The slightly rusted lightbulb socket that barely flickered in the darkness above her head seemed familiar. It was then she realized she's passed by this one particular bulb at least six times now.  
"Oh you gotta be squidding me!" Katelyn shrieked as she realized she's gotten herself lost. Looking around, she then realized she's also forgotten what path she took to get here.

"…wow. I really screwed up big time this time, haven't I?" Katelyn spoke to herself, and slid down the wall she was leaning on, collapsing onto the floor. Gently sliding Salty next to her, she curled up in a ball and began to sob gently into her dress. Salty looked at Katelyn's crying form and decided to hop next to her, stopping next to her hip and leaning onto her while making a relaxing 'coo' noise. Katelyn immediately noticed this, and giggled through choked sobs.

"Oh…*hic*…Salty, you really didn't need to. I'm *hic* fine…I swear!" Picking up the sea snail, she embraced it in her arms, and forced a smile onto her face. "Well…as long as we're down here, I'll protect you. It's the least I can do for you, we're…friends…after…all…"

The snail 'coo'-d curiously in response, seemingly uncertain.

"I...*hic* just want everyone to be happy…" Katelyn choked. "But…why… does it hurt so much…?"

The lightbulb above her fizzled loudly, and the filament burned out, plunging the corridor into darkness.

* * *

Beano heard the chord echo through the tunnel as well, and abruptly stopped throttling Cobalt as he became as pale as the snow.  
"Aww hell naw!" he said in a panicked hushed voice. "It's HIM! Riley, quick!"

Without answering, Riley immediately grabbed Chris and Mei-Lin by their shirt collars, and pulled them into the alcove. Meanwhile, Beano swiftly grabbed Cobalt into his own alcove, and flicked a switch on a wall to his left, plunging the entire corridor into darkness.

"W-what's going on…?" Mei-Lin said as she trembled in Riley's grasp.  
"Shush!" Riley hushed, "Be… quiet, and don't… move… a muscle…"

A shadow lit by what appears to be candlelight drew down the corridor, and it began to shorten as whatever was casting the shadow began to approach. A set of what sounded like metal on concrete echoed down as the being slowly approached their hiding place. With the limited vision of what Cobalt can see, all he could make out was what appeared to be an incredibly tall specimen of an Urchin skulking down the corridor, accompanied by the sound of a strumming guitar.

The being stopped abruptly in front of the alcoves, and Chris held his breath.

"How unusual!" the being said, his voice resembling the sound of nails on a chalkboard. "I knew I heard someone down thataway! Oh whoever you are… come out to PLAY!"  
A jet of fire briefly illuminated the tunnel as whatever it was blasted out a gout of flame with what appears to be a flamethrower, but Cobalt couldn't risk leaning closer to examine it. The heat wave collapsed on the team, and all of them recoiled, the scuffling noise they made echoing down the tunnel.

"WHO'S THERE?!" the creature shouted, wheeling around and unleashing another jet of flame behind him. The heat wave collapsed on the group, causing them to wince. Realizing the source of the sounds, the creature turned to his side, and saw Cobalt looking straight at him, with Beano behind him staring with a blank expression.

"…"

"Uh…" Cobalt said meekly, staring back at a pair of frightening red eyes glowing in the dark. "Hello."

The being didn't reply, and simply began to raise an object in front of his face. Cobalt could feel the heat radiating from the end of the device, and sensed that he only has mere milliseconds to react.

"Aww naw! I don't wanna become fried urchin!" Beano stuttered, quivering behind Cobalt and feverishly praying towards the mossy wall. "Oh good gawds, I'm sorry! I'm sorry I stole that cake! Please forgive meeee!"

Cobalt then had a sudden brainwave. It was worth a shot.

"HEY! What's that behind you!" Cobalt shouted, pointing at the corridor where the creature came from. The flame-wielding monster only laughed.  
"KYAHAHAHA! Ya think I'd fall for that old-"

Cobalt took the time to quickly grab both his guns, and unloaded a concentrated salvo of ink directly onto the rogue urchin's face. While the ink seemingly didn't hurt him, he briefly reeled from the sudden impact. Taking the opportunity, the group quickly got up and ran for their lives. The rogue urchin could only scream in rage as he chased after them, wiping dark blue ink off his face in the process.

* * *

Katelyn didn't know how long she had stewed on the floor by now. Minutes? Hours? Days? Perhaps much longer. It didn't matter that much to her, as long as the comfortable feeling of the sea snail leaning onto her side was still there, she was content not to move.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed off of the tunnels as someone approached. Without warning, the sensation of the snail leaning onto her abruptly disappeared, and Katelyn snapped out of her stupor.  
"HEY! Whoever you are!" Katelyn shouted into the blackness, unsheathing her Inkbrush. "Let go of that Sea Snail! He's my friend!"

"Hohoho, is that so?" an elderly voice replied, and a lantern abruptly turned on. Katelyn instinctively recoiled from the sudden bright light, and shielded her eyes. When she put her arms down, she saw that a hooded figure has settled down onto an empty alcove across her, and he was gently carrying the sea snail in one hand and the lantern in the other.  
"My apologies," the hooded figure said, putting down the snail gently next to Katelyn. "It is hard to find Sea Snails down here nowadays, I thought I found a stray one that wandered into the Barricade."

Katelyn quickly picked up Salty and held her in her arms, looking skeptically at the figure as she sheathed her Inkbrush. "…who are you?"  
"Ohohoho, forgive the manners of an old man." The figure replied. "Call me Smuggler Hermit, I travel all over Inkopolis and the lands surrounding them, and try to find rare trinkets and knick-knacks to sell to the urchins down here. You would not believe how many credits you can haggle off of petty things like normal clothes!"  
"Name's Katelyn." The inkling replied. "I've...came down here with some companions, but I've gotten separated from them."  
"Companions, you say?" Hermit replied, "Friends of yours?"

Katelyn began to speak, then hesitated. "Well… one of them is, but the other two I only just met today. My friend is Mei-Lin, the other two are named Cobalt and Chris."  
"You sound somewhat unsure." The smuggler replied. "Are they really your friends?"  
"Of course they are! I'm friends with everyone!"  
"Then…why would they trust you to wander down these passageways alone?"

Katelyn's reply caught in her throat, and she frowned. "I…well… they didn't send me down here by myself."  
"They didn't, huh?" the smuggler said, nodding his head in thought. "So you came here by your own volition. Tell me, why did you run away?"

"I didn't-" Katelyn looked down at Salty, and sighed. "…okay, you have a point. I only met Cobalt and Chris today, I don't entirely trust them to do what's right. I thought that they would treat Salty like any other Super Sea Snail and just give him to the urchins to be eaten. But…"  
The inkling gently patted the snail, and it coo'd contently. "What they did is wrong. Salty is a friend, they shouldn't have just assumed he's just an inanimate object. So I thought… if I can find the center of Backwater Barricade before they could, we can get our mission done and over with, and we can leave here with Salty alive. But well…" She looked around, and shrugged her shoulders. "I got lost. And here I am."

"Center of Backwater Barricade, you say?" Hermit mused, tapping his head thoughtfully. "Dangerous place to be. Not a place for a pretty lil' girl like you to be wandering about." He chuckled loudly under his hood. "Forgive me, I sound like a pervy old man right about now, do I not?"  
"Umm…" Katelyn could think of anything to reply to the weird person before her.

The smuggler placed down the lantern, and sighed as he withdrew a bottle from a pocket in his cloak, and drank deeply. Katelyn couldn't get a good look at the man's face due to the strange lighting of the lantern.

"Ahh… that hit the spot." Hermit sighed, putting down the bottle next to him. Reaching into his cloak again, he pulled out a somewhat dirtied piece of paper, as well as what appears to be a tin can. "Take these with you. Normally I'd charge credits for them, but I reckon you can have these free of charge."

"What are those?" Katelyn asked, looking at the strange objects.  
"Ah yes, that paper is a map of Backwater Barricade." Hermit explained. "There aren't any official maps, but since I've been down here so many times I've sketched the entire layout of this place, and then I realized that I've memorized the place just as well without paper. That thing might as well be a glorified poster, hohoho." He then tapped the tin can. "And this… is what is known as a 'Pressurized Special', or as Inklings have taken to calling them, 'a Can of Ass-Whooping'. Open it and you'll automatically be able to trigger a specified special ability, even specials normally incompatible with any weapons you're carrying. They can only be used once though, so use it wisely. This particular one is a favorite of mine: an Inkstrike. Death from above!"

Katelyn accepted the gifts, and pocketed them. "So… Mr Hermit, is it?" she said, looking at the hooded figure, "Why are you helping me? What's in it for you?"  
The hooded figure chuckled, and took another drink from his bottle. "Well…" he replied, "For starters I couldn't find anyone to sell that Pressurized Special to down here. Lost a ton of credits over that deal, I rather just get rid of it and forget about it. Well, that and I find your story touching. Now I can't just go and put a price on friendship, if you ask me. Hohoho."

The smuggler tipped his bottle to his face one last time, and then realized it was empty. Shrugging, he gently set the bottle inside the alcove as well as the lantern, and got up to leave.  
"Well, sounds to me you should return to them," He said, "Your friends, I mean."  
"What? But…" Katelyn stammered.  
"Your friends trust you to do the right thing." Hermit said, nodding. "What's to say you shouldn't trust them in return? Isn't mutual trust what forms the foundations of lasting friendship? Return to them. I believe they are waiting for you."

The hooded man walked away into the darkness, and disappeared. Katelyn bent down to pick up the lantern with one hand, and looked at the map. Salty hopped up to her shoulder to take a look at the map as well, cooing inquisitively as he did so.  
"I agree, Salty." Katelyn said, turning to the right while looking at the map and walking along the corridor. "That guy was a weirdo."

* * *

 **AN: For those that had been keeping track of the story (all 5 of you anyway), I apologize for the less frequent updates lately. University is something that takes a lot of preparation (even if most of my time is spent meandering about Melbourne), so expect my chapters to come less often in the future.  
** **I had been thinking lately why this story doesn't get as much attention as the other fanfics. Is the plot synopsis not catchy enough? Are the audience around here prone to gravitate to things more familiar to them? Could be both, maybe.**


	15. Live, Die, Repeat

**Live, Die, Repeat**

* * *

Chris has had some bad experiences in the past. Once, right at the beginning of a Turf War he discovered right after he had wandered into enemy territory that two of his teammates had bailed on him and Cobalt had run off somewhere to undoubtedly get on with his own shenanigans, leaving him to be ganged up on by the entire enemy team all at once. As he had stood there utterly dumbfounded with ink raining down all over him, he had thought it can't get any worse than this.

Now, running through a series of pitch-black tunnels for dear life while being chased by a madman with some kind of flame-spewing device, he realized that he had been horribly, HORRIBLY wrong.

"THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" Chris yelled, while the team rounded another corner just as another gout of flame roasted the wall they were next to seconds earlier.  
"You're telling me!" Cobalt shouted back, pulling the triggers on his guns to no avail. "I think that burst just shortened out my ink tank or something, it's not built to handle two guns at once! We're gonna end up as fried squid in here unless we find an open area!"  
"We need to lose this maniac!" Mei-Lin said breathlessly, "I can't keep this up forever!"

Chris pulled out his Dual Squelcher, and pointed ahead of him. "Quick, follow me! I'll paint a path ahead, and you two jump right in!"  
"Wait, I can't do that right now!" Mei-Lin replied, "I'm not the same color as your ink, I'll just get stuck in it!"  
Chris slapped himself in the forehead, irritated he forgot such a crucial detail. "Can't believe I forgot about… Okay, what we'll need to do is to find a respawn pad. If we can find one of those, we can change our color on the fly there. For now, we'll need to go on foot, so just hang in there a little longer!"  
"Oy mate!" Riley shouted, "'ave ya forgotten about us already?! We ain't as adverse-like as you guys, give us some consideration!"  
"Agreed, mate." Beano added, looking at the orange glow of flame behind him. "Bein' turned into urchin chow ain't very high on me to-die list. 'sides, if ye need help in finding a respawn pad, oi reckon I've seen one of them nearby. You'll need us!"  
"As much as I'd hate to admit it," Chris said, turning to the urchins, "they're right. They know the tunnels down here better than we do, we'll have to rely on them a bit longer. Don't suppose you two are demanding anything in return?"  
"Naw man!" Riley shouted, briefly looking behind him to confirm that the rogue urchin is still chasing them, "I think that bein' alive is suitable enough payment this time! Oi reckon if we do get outta this, we oughta kick that habit of eatin' Super Sea Snails. We be tryin' ta eat one from you lads, and look where it got us!"

The tunnel in front of them began to widen, and they reached a large circular room with multiple dimly lit pathways all scattered around. Picking a random route, the gang all ran into one, and found an alcove to hide in. Seconds later, their pursuer jumped right into the room, stopping and scanning the area with his eyes and breathing loudly.  
"Oy, where'd ya all go?" the rogue urchin growled, "C'mon, give poor lil' Tetanus a little company, wouldya? I'm DYING to have some fun round here!" Marching around the room, the urchin eventually gave up and disappeared into the shadows, disappointed.  
"Pah, they'd be back soon, I'm sure of it." His voice echoed down the tunnel, followed by the sound of guitar strings being haphazardly played. The sound of the guitar became quieter and quieter, until the room was completely silent.

"I think he's gone." Chris whispered, determined not to make too much noise in case the madman decided to return.  
"Thank the gawds." Riley groaned while gripping his neck, "Oi reckon that took ten years offa me. Hearin' about Tetanus from Beano's run-in ain't the same as an actual bloody encounter."  
"Well look on the bright side, mate," the stout urchin grinned, "Least Needler now owes us a coupla pounds o' fish for that. Wait till 'e hears about ya survivin' a run-in with THE BOSS."

Mei-Lin collapsed onto the stone floor, clearly winded from the chase. "Urgh…" she groaned, "This is all more than what I had bargained for when I joined you guys. First Katelyn goes missing, now I've almost died thanks to some madman with a flamethrower." She leaned onto the wall, staring at nowhere in particular. "All this action and violence. I don't know how you two and Katelyn take in all this without going mad."  
"Well, you're not the only one, Mei-Lin." Chris said, pointing a thumb at Cobalt who experimentally pulled the triggers on his guns again to no result, and giving out a barely suppressed scream. "None of us are prepared for…well… all this. I didn't think that I'd find something much worse than that incident during one of my matches."  
"Incident?" Mei-Lin repeated, her curiosity piqued somewhat.  
"Well, I got piled up on by the entire enemy team once." Chris replied. "Never seen that much ink that doesn't belong to my color ever since, I reckon."  
Mei-Lin barely stifled a chuckle. "I feel sorry for you, somewhat."

"AUGH! This is infuriating!" Cobalt grumbled, once again failing to fire his weapons. "How am I supposed to get these repaired when we're stuck underground with a homicidal urchin running about?! It feels wrong to not be able to use my weapons!"  
"Funny ya mention weapons, boyo." Riley said, "I know a guy…"

* * *

Cobalt tipped his credits pouch upside down, with only a single measly coin falling out alongside a few lumps of lint. Next to him, a hunchbacked urchin with a wrench in one hand and a screwdriver in the other cackled loudly, a decent pile of credits in front of his crossed legs.  
"Kehehe! Thanks for the credits!" the urchin said, putting one last bolt onto Cobalt's ink tank. "Now, ye better try ta treat ye weapons with care in da future. As an added bonus tho I gave ye a lil' tweak to yer arsenal, so if ye ever get the silly idea ta overload the tank again by doin' a dual-wieldin' burst, it'll repair itself once the tank fully refills, so blast away! Oh and I increased your overall ink capacity just so the tank has time ta repair itself if ye ever get tha' crazy idea ta do so."  
"Thanks…I guess?" Cobalt replied, grumbling as he picked up his one solitary coin before pocketing it.

Nearby, the two inklings and two urchins were waiting for Cobalt to finish his errand.  
"So, whaddya think of ol' Wrench?" Riley sneered, "Worth it?"  
"I can't help but feel I've just been scammed." Cobalt replied with a sigh. "Does everyone around here charge that much for services?"  
"I guess if they're stuck down here with nowhere to go…" Mei-Lin said, "I won't blame them if they want some extra money just to get their lives back on track one day." She looked briefly at the two urchins, then at Chris. "I thought we'd be entering into a den of lawbreakers, but all I'm seeing so far are desperate people."  
"Well look on the bright side, Cobalt." Chris said, patting Cobalt in the back, "At least you now got a new method of attack if you ever need it. Speaking of though, where's that respawn pad that Beano mentioned earlier?"

Beano briefly stopping looking round the corner while straining his ear, and turned to the inklings. "Oh, right. There be a wee lil' problem 'bout that."  
"What would that be?" Chris replied, raising an eyebrow. "If you're worried about attracting Tetanus, I think we just need to get to it without too much noise."  
"Ehh….that is it, boyo." Beano groaned. "That respawn pad is deep in Backwater Barricade, quite close to the center. We'd be likelier ta grab THE BOSS's attention if we venture that close."  
"Well, ya 'eard it from Beano." Riley said, shrugging. "If ya be wantin' us ta willingly walk into dangerous tunnels, we need down payment."  
"And that would be…?" Cobalt asked, his eyes narrowing.  
"All the money y'all 'ave on ya." Riley smirked, holding out his hand. "Cough up, and I'll lead ya there. Urchin's promise."

Cobalt stared agape at Riley, before quickly turning to Chris and Mei-Lin, huddling for a group chat.  
"Erm… don't suppose you got that much money on you, right?" he asked quietly.  
"What should we do?" Mei-Lin whispered, "I don't have any money on me, Katelyn was holding on to them for me."  
"Don't worry, man." Chris whispered back, and giving a wink. "Let me handle this."

Chris broke from the group chat, and walked up to the urchins.  
"We decided." He breathed. "We'll take your offer."  
"Ehehehe, izzat so?" Riley replied, grinning slyly and waving the palm of his hand. "Well go on. Give it 'ere, I may just retract my generous offer."  
Chris turned out his pockets, and three coins fell out. "Oh right," he said, "Forgot I only bought money for the bus fare. Welp, guess I'm Super-Jumping back home." He turned to Mei-Lin and Cobalt, and winked.  
"Oh…um…" Mei-Lin stammered, checking her parka and turning up a single coin. "Ah, must've forgotten to give this one to Katelyn. Well, it's the only credit I have on me. Cobalt?"  
"Well I still got this one coin left." Cobalt flipped his last coin in the air once, and then he handed it to Chris. "Here ya go. I'll manage without it."  
Picking up the three coins on the floor, as well as accepting Mei-Lin's singular coin, Chris put the sum onto Riley's outstretched hand.  
"That's it, that's all the money we have on us." Chris smirked. "All five coins."

Riley stared dumbfounded at the credits in his hand for a brief moment. Behind him, Beano was having trouble stifling his laughter. "Oy mate," he snorted, "Oi reckon you've been 'ad in return!"  
"GAH! Damned blasted loopholes!" Riley grumbled, his head hung low in exasperation. "Well, an urchin's promise is a promise. Course…" He turned to Beano with a leer, "I dunno anythin' 'bout where dat respawn pad be at, so Beano will accompany me. Isn't that right, boyo?"  
Beano's laughter died abruptly as if severed by a guillotine. "Aww darnit."

* * *

It has been half an hour ever since that exchange, and the gang's feet are starting to get a bit sore from all the wandering. While the urchins led the way in front of them, the inklings lagged behind albeit somewhat nervous.

A small cloud of dust got disturbed by the inkling's footsteps, causing Mei-Lin to have a brief coughing fit.  
"Ugh, what's with all this dust?" She said, sniffing. "The air here feels stale, too."  
"I notice we haven't been passing by any urchins along the way." Chris added, "Not even any trash, just cobwebs. Guess not a lot of people come through here."  
"Can't say I blame them." Cobalt said, shrugging off a strand that got stuck to his mask. "Would anyone want to go somewhere rumored to have homicidal monsters on the loose?"  
"Erm, you always wander into clearly guarded enemy territory in our matches. I think you might not be entirely qualified to ask that question."  
Cobalt rolled his eyes. "Eh, whatever."  
"Will ye quieten down back there?!" Beano shushed, "THE BOSS could'a be anywhere!"

As if on cue, a distant echo of a guitar rift wafted down the tunnels, and everyone froze on the spot, the sound of conversation giving way to the whistle of a distant breeze. Once they confirmed the guitar rift wasn't getting any closer, the group kept on walking.  
"Best we be keepin' that yammerin' ta a minimum from now." Riley hissed, brushing aside another handful of cobwebs out of the way. The inklings decided that keeping it quiet would be the best course of action, and just followed the urchins wordlessly.  
Eventually, the tunnels stopped being lit by lightbulbs, the walls gradually becoming more and more roughly carved. Riley withdrew a small flashlight from his pocket, and lit the way for the group. The pathway slowly became more linear, as the splits in the pathway became less frequent. The way before them began to widen more and more, until they couldn't see the walls beside them in the encroaching darkness.

Soon, Riley's foot stepped on something metallic, and everyone stopped as the tall urchin shone his flashlight on what he stepped on. On the floor, covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, was a circular metal pad with a concave basin made out of plexiglass and two arrows pointing at each other in a circular direction. Hurrying forward, Chris examined the object that Riley stepped on, and smiled.  
"This is it." He said, keeping his voice down. "That's a respawn pad. It seems to be unpowered though, how…"  
"Hey, can I take a look at that?" Mei-Lin said, kneeling down to examine the pad and frowning. "Hmm… how are these things powered anyway?"  
"We'd need a large source of power." Chris replied, frowning as well, "Rebuilding splatted inklings take a lot of juice. Doubt we'd find one down here."  
Cobalt ignored Chris and his monologuing, and idly paced the area around the respawn pad lit by Riley. He then spotted a cord attached onto the respawn pad, and began to follow the wiring outside the lit area while the other two inklings mused over how to power the device.  
The wire terminated onto a decently-sized cuboid object, about half of Cobalt's height aside from a bulb-like formation protruding from the very top of the object that was about his size. The masked inkling couldn't make out much more in the darkness, and began to grope around the device.  
"This looks important." He said to himself, "There oughta be a…" He then spotted a big red button on the machine, and pressed it.

A sudden harsh ring resounded from the device, causing Cobalt to recoil in surprise and the group in the distance to turn to the source of the sound in alarm. In response, the device abruptly lit up, revealing the device to be some sort of generator with a Zapfish contained in a large glass bulb on it. The sound was coming from an alarm clock roughly taped onto the side of the gigantic light bulb which has woken up the presumably napping Zapfish as its eyes blinked sleepily, and it began to glow as it began to feed electricity onto the generator, the generator itself wheezing loudly and whirring into life.

"Cobalt!" Chris shouted, the thought of keeping quiet all but abandoned, "What did you do?!"  
"I uh….found the power source, at least." Cobalt replied sheepishly.

All around them, spotlights mounted onto the cave walls lit up one by one, the sudden change in contrast causing everyone in the room to shield their eyes. At the very center, the now brightly lit respawn pad whirred into life, the glassy surface turning a serene sky blue color and rippling as a thick liquid the same color as the surface began to fill it.

"Oy, whatever yer gonna do, ye better 'urry!" Riley yelled, as the sound of a guitar rift went off in the distance but persisted. "He's coming!"  
Cobalt didn't waste a second, and shifted into squid form, hopping right into the sky blue liquid. A second later, Cobalt emerged from the substance with his tentacles dyed a sky blue color, while the tips remained a dark blue color.  
"Seems to be working alright." Cobalt said, shaking off any excess sky blue color off of him, "You two are up next."  
Mei-Lin stepped up towards the active respawn pad, then hesitated as she glanced at the sky blue liquid.  
"Hey…" she said, "Is this okay to…"  
"Don't worry, Mei-Lin. This is not like our ink." Chris replied. "I don't know how these things work myself, but this liquid won't hurt an inkling." He dipped a hand in the liquid and withdrew it, showing to Mei-Lin the sky blue fluid flowing off without ease. "See?"

Mei-Lin still seemed somewhat hesitant. Looking at her worried expression, Chris decided to step onto the respawn pad, moving his feet to show that he was not caught in the substance. He then shifted into squid form and sunk into the liquid, emerging from it with his head tentacles also dyed sky blue.  
"Now it's your turn." Chris said, holding out his hand. "Grab my hand. We'll do it together."  
"Oh…. Um…" Mei-Lin replied sheepishly. "Well… okay. I'll try…" She slowly reached out her hand to take in Chris's…

"Oh this is taking too long. Screw this."  
Cobalt quickly went behind Mei-Lin and gave her a gentle shove, the unfortunate inkling falling head-first into the liquid and shifting into squid form in surprise. She emerged from the liquid, her auburn tentacles dyed sky blue aside from her tips.  
"COBALT!" she sputtered, coughing as she spat out some of the liquid from her mouth. "What did you do that for?!"  
"The suspense was killing me." He simply replied. "Come on, we need to go before ol' Urchin Mc-Roasty catches up."

Mei-Lin got up and ran without looking back towards a cave exit opposite to where the cacophony of strings was coming from, the two urchins following suit in panic.  
"You know," Chris said, turning to Cobalt with a look of annoyance, "You could have read the atmosphere for once."  
"Hmm? What are you talking about?" Cobalt replied.  
"Oh for…whatever. We'll talk once there isn't a homicidal urchin chasing after us." He began making towards the cave exit, with Cobalt following up close behind him.

"You know, it's a funny thing, man." Cobalt said as they ran from the lit cave into darkness, "She kinda reminds me of you somehow. Quite like back then."  
"…suppose so."

The inklings disappeared into the darkness, the sound of heavy metal steadily increasing in volume in their wake.

* * *

 **AN: Sometimes when I write these I wonder if the characters are staying in...character. It's all the little subtleties, mostly. Depending on a character's personality and experiences they can respond to a situation with small changes in their own dialogue which carries their character across. What am I going with this? Well I'd like you guys to tell me if these characters are indeed staying within range of their archetypes, I'm not entirely sure if some of them still are.  
These chapters are getting hard to write. Not because I'm low on ideas mind you, in fact I already have the entire layout right here. Just that I'm getting Writer's-Block'd by the finer details. I can never truly escape from that blasted curse, can I =_=**


	16. Rules of Nature

**Rules of Nature**

* * *

"So…where are we now?"

The group had gone as far as their dwindling stamina had allowed them, now they had gathered at the entrance of a room much larger than the cave where the respawn pad was located. From the inkling's perspective, the lights from the tunnel behind them failed to light up the vast empty space before them, a strangely flat floor fading into the blackness and the ceiling obscured from view.

"Ain't got a clue, mate." Beano replied, looking around. "Never 'ad the guts ta be this darned close ta THE BOSS's lair."  
"Good luck, mate." Riley continued, "From this point on, yer on ya own. Oi reckon y'all understand we ain't gotta reason ta follow ya."  
"We understand." Chris replied. "Oh, if you two find Katelyn along the way back, tell her to come here as well."  
Riley grumbled something incomprehensible and rubbed his forehead. "Ehh… normally I'd charge ya fer somethin' in return, but ye already gave us all da money on ya. Tell ya what, we'll do that free o' charge."  
"Thank you." Mei-Lin replied with a sigh of relief. "I just hope she hasn't gone somewhere dangerous in the Barricade. Knowing her…"

Just as the urchins turned to leave, Cobalt decided to go on straight ahead, and set foot into the vast dark room ahead. The moment his foot hit the floor, there was a deafeningly loud metallic clang. Looking straight down, Cobalt realized the floor he was standing on was composed of reinforced steel paneling, which judging by the unusually loud noise it made was hollow underneath.

"Oh…" Cobalt said meekly as the clang reverberated all over the vast room, and the group gawked at him with a look of disdain. "Welp, if that madman didn't know where we were before, he does now."

As if on cue, a dozen spotlights turned on all at once, illuminating the large space and revealing that the entire room was composed of the aforementioned steel plating, aside from an opening on the opposite end which was haphazardly boarded up by wooden planks. The sound of an electric guitar began to play from the opening, and to the inkling's utter bewilderment the wooden panels exploded violently as a tall figure catapulted itself through it, slamming onto the center of the room with a loud impact.

"IT'S HIM!" Beano shrieked, "SCREW Y'ALL, I'M OUTTA HERE!" The stout urchin immediately spun round and ran so fast he managed to leave an afterimage of himself.  
"GAH! BEANO, WAIT UUUUP!" Riley yelled, stumbling and chasing after his companion, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

The spotlights mounted on the ceiling spun and focused onto the figure, revealing it to be the maniacal urchin that had been chasing the inklings through the Barricade the entire time. By all appearances he was very unusual, the spindly and tall urchin was wrapped from head to foot in tight red and black leather attire, even his urchin quills were dyed a shade of crimson, matching his glaring red eyes. Quite unlike the other urchins however, his quills were smoothed backwards, save for two just above his eyes which has skewered a brown ten-gallon cowboy hat into place perched on top of his quills. To complete the bizarre image, he was strapped into some kind of mechanical exoskeleton with more belts than necessary, and carried in his hands was an ornately decorated double neck electric guitar with what was unmistakably a flamethrower nozzle attached between the necks of the guitar.

"What in the…" Chris mouthed.  
"Wow. You really cannot get any more cliché than that." Cobalt said, equally baffled.  
"And here I thought Katelyn was outrageous." Mei-Lin finished, stepping backwards in shock.

"OH, Y'ALL ARRIVED!" The urchin shouted, "I'm so happy, it's been too long since playmates showed up in my humble abode. But where are my manners, let me introduce myself! I am Tetanus 'Destruction' Shadowflare, master guitarist, grand serpent of Rl'yeh, dreadlord of-"  
"Okay, I'm going to have to stop you right there." Chris interrupted, barely concealing an involuntary cringe. "We get the picture. Can you let us pass? We are on an important mission."  
"But I haven't even finished my introduction!" Tetanus replied in anguish. "I even have a tragic backstory that y'all oughta weep buckets fer-"

"We don't have time to play with you, or listen to your backstory!" Cobalt interjected again, "Let us pass, or we'll make you!"  
"Umm…Cobalt, are you certain about this?" Mei-Lin said worriedly, "I don't want to fight anyone…"  
"Course I'm certain! Feels like all we've been doing the last few hours was running! I'm tired of running away from this madman, let's kick his ass!" With that said, Cobalt took out his weapons, and twirled them in his hands.  
"I hate to say it, but I think Cobalt's right." Chris pulled out his Dual Squelcher and did a quick weapons check. "Only way forward is through this guy. Mei-Lin…I told you to pack that Splattershot Jr, you still know how to use it, right?"  
Mei-Lin hesitated, and wordlessly rifled through the contents of her backpack, extracting the Splattershot Jr in question. She held it in her hands, her expression uneasy.  
"I…" She said with a strained voice. "I think so."

"THEN IT'S SETTTLED THEN!" Tetanus cackled loudly, raising a leg on his exoskeleton, the inklings bracing themselves. "Just for y'all, I'll skip the introductions, and go straight to the main event! LET'S DANCE! YEEEEEHAW!"

Tetanus slammed the leg down hard onto the steel floor, and along the four walls the steel paneling began to shudder before extending out, forming a large second floor border. With a leap, Tetanus propelled himself onto the foothold, and readied his guitar.  
"Let us begin with the first event!" He shouted. "OOOOOOOH TIIIIIINY! COME ON OUT, BUDDY!"  
"What the-" Cobalt began, but he was interrupted when a tremor shook the entire room, causing Cobalt to stagger and making Chris and Mei-Lin fall over. To the inkling's further disbelief, from the opening Tetanus burst himself out of came what has to be the most gargantuan Super Sea Snail they ever laid eyes upon, at least twice as tall as the average inkling and with black and red paint coated over the snail's usual shiny shell, and with four rocket boosters strapped to its sides to complete the outrageous picture. The massive sea snail landed onto the steel floor with a resounding crash, staring at the group with menacing beady black eyes, before opening its mouth and letting out a…

"Meep."

"…what." Chris simply said. Cobalt and Mei-Lin simply stared, at a total loss for words.

"Meet Tiny!" Tetanus yelled from the distance. "Ta keep it concise, Tiny's ma bestest friend! But enough about that. TINY, GIMME A RHYTHM!"

The rocket boosters strapped to the gargantuan Sea Snail began to rev up, and Tiny began to angle down, aiming at the inklings. Cobalt's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen.  
"SCATTER!" He yelled, leaping to the side and firing a stream of ink before him. Chris quickly grabbed Mei-Lin by the arm and dragged her the other way, just as the rocket boosters erupted with blue flame and propelled the Super Sea Snail right at them.

"MEEP MEEP!" the creature growled, ramming into the metallic wall behind where the team was standing earlier with a resounding crash. Flattening ever so slightly from the impact, the creature ricocheted itself and propelled itself right towards where Cobalt was running.  
"Why me?!" the masked inkling cried, switching into squid form and diving right into the ink trail he left, the massive snail passing harmlessly over him but causing him to be swept out of his ink from the snail's slipstream, the ink evaporating quickly from the afterburner propelling it.  
The creature crashed onto another wall, and propelled itself right at Chris and Mei-Lin, the former promptly following Cobalt's example and firing a trail of sky blue onto the floor, diving into the ink with Mei-Lin following suit. Bouncing off yet another wall, Tiny swerved from its charge and aimed for Cobalt who was busy inking as much ground as possible with his weapon, the inkling quickly diving into the ink to dodge the incoming ram.

The process repeated a few times, the sound of hardened shell colliding with steel echoing all over the room. The urchin listened to the banging noises with his eyes closed and his head bobbing, seemingly absorbed into his own world. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and he leered.  
"That's it… THAT'S IT!" Tetanus snarled, "I'm feeling the rhythm! Let's rock!" He gave his electric guitar a few experimental strums, and then began playing a chaotic solo on the guitar in accordance to the beat, headbanging as he did so.

"You can't be serious!" Cobalt shouted, as he was swept out of his own ink for the umpteenth time. But then, seemingly invigorated by the music, the supersized Sea Snail suddenly rocketed much faster than before, catching Cobalt off guard as it made a sharp U-turn and smashed into the inkling head on, splatting him instantly.

"COBALT!" Mei-Lin screamed, gazing at the spot where Cobalt was earlier in fear.  
"He'll be fine!" Chris shouted, watching a squid ghost sail out of the room towards the respawn pad outside, "We'll need some way to avoid getting splatted ourselves, I doubt that respawn pad will last forever!" Turning, he realized that their backs were to the wall. As Tiny began to charge in their direction, he pointed his Dual Squelcher at the wall and shot a stream of ink up the steel paneling. The moment before the giant Sea Snail crashed into them, he quickly hopped into the ink with Mei-Lin in tow and swam up the wall, right as the creature collided with the wall and evaporated the ink beneath them.

* * *

Meanwhile, the respawn pad right outside of the bedlam occurring in the adjacent chamber whirred into activity, and sky blue liquid began to form into a humanoid shape, eventually coalescing into Cobalt's form before he staggered off of the pad in shock.  
"Ugh… That wasn't very pleasant." He grumbled, before looking back at the pad and noticed a bar embedded on the side decrease by a third, the respawn pad flickering slightly as it did so. "And just when I thought it can't get any worse. Figures…"

The masked inkling prepared to sprint right back into battle, but then he heard footsteps emanating from the darkened tunnel behind him. Wheeling round, he saw someone he didn't expect to see rounding a corner.

"*cough cough* I didn't expect there to be so much dust… oh, Salty! I see light! We must be-"

Cobalt's eyes widened in surprise as what was unmistakably Katelyn's form stepped out into the brightened cave. As she also saw Cobalt staring straight at her, she stopped abruptly in her tracks, dropping the lantern she was holding with a clatter.  
"KATELYN!" Cobalt shouted, causing the girl to jump in shock, "There you are! Where the hell have you been?!"  
"Ah! H-hi Cobalt!" Katelyn replied, stammering slightly, "Erm… I was following you guys, and then I took a wrong turn, and um…"  
"Save the explanation for later." Cobalt interrupted, running up to Katelyn, "Chris and Mei-Lin are in trouble. C'mon, use that respawn pad and follow me!"  
"Mei-Lin's in trouble?! Wait, what's going-"

Without waiting for her to finish, Cobalt quickly grabbed Katelyn by the arm and swung her unceremoniously into the respawn pad. She emerged from the pad with her lavender tentacles dyed sky blue and looking at Cobalt with an adamant glower.  
"Cobalt, what the heck was that for?!" Katelyn yelled, while a disoriented 'coo' emanated from underneath her bobble hat. Cobalt glanced briefly in puzzlement at Katelyn's hat before looking straight at her.  
"I tell you not to make things more complicated than they already are, and you go and do exactly that. Let's just say we're now even in advance." Cobalt waved Katelyn towards the tunnel mouth where heavy metal and loud banging noises was echoing. "We're wasting time, let's go!" With that said, he sprinted with both weapons raised towards the tunnel.

"You really just do whatever you want, huh?" Katelyn said, unsheathing her Inkbrush and running after the masked inkling while inkling the floor before her.

* * *

"I can't hold on!"  
"Hang on, Mei-Lin! Just a little longer!"

During Cobalt's absence, Chris and Mei-Lin were still hiding inside the stream of ink on the wall. Unable to see them, Tiny has now taken to repeatedly ramming the same wall they were on, presumably in an attempt to dislodge them from the wall.  
Up on the steel border, Tetanus saw the gargantuan Sea Snail ramming the wall, and gave an amused smile.  
"Havin' trouble there, buddy?!" He laughed, "'ere, lemme help with that!"  
Hitting a button on his exoskeleton, Tetanus deployed a twin set of Hydra Splatling guns, revving them up before firing a black substance towards the wall. Chris squirmed in discomfort as he saw the substance strike the wall around them, oozing over the sky blue ink and shrinking their foothold.  
"Is that… unrefined oil?!" He shouted in disgust. "Good thing this guy's aim is terrible…"  
"DEATH FROM ABOVE!" Tetanus cackled madly, pressing another button and revealing to Chris's horror an entire bandolier of Inkstrike missiles attached to a launching device. With a shudder, the device launched a missile straight at them, with the two realizing they only have seconds to react.

"JUMP!" Chris cried, switching to inkling form and vaulting himself from the wall, but unfortunately for Mei-Lin she lacked the acrobatic ability to avoid the incoming missile and was promptly swept up by the resulting tornado of black oil. While Chris was immediately relieved that the substance hasn't splatted Mei-Lin unlike standard ink, the unfortunate inkling then landed onto the patch of oil left behind by the Inkstrike followed by the Splattershot Jr which fell onto the hard floor and fragmented from the impact, and discovered to his horror that the substance was sticky enough to pin down an inkling, which was undoubtedly troublesome when there was a massive sea snail charging round the room determined to mow them down.

"Mei-Lin, are you alright?!" Chris said, his tone nervous as he saw Tiny swerving to prepare for another charge.

But Mei-Lin didn't respond. By some reason or another, the sight of the black substance around her seemed to have triggered some manner of nervous breakdown. As she stared at her stained hands, a glint of madness seemed to flash across her eyes, and her pupils seemed to dilate as her eyes became unfocused. As she let out an anguished shriek, the fact a gigantic snail was rocketing towards her with the intent to splat the traumatized inkling seemed to have failed to occur to her.

"MEI-LIN! NOO!" Chris cried, reaching out a hand towards her.

"OH NO YOU FREAKING DON'T!"

To Chris's surprise, a blur jumped between Mei-Lin and Tiny, and a Bubbler shield formed around the blur and Mei-Lin, the sea snail colliding with the shield and sending it careening towards the wall. While the gigantic Sea Snail was reeling from the shock and stopped in its tracks with a dizzying look in its eyes, Chris realized that it was none other than Katelyn that had jumped between the inkling and the snail.  
"K-Katelyn!" Mei-Lin spluttered, seemingly snapping out of her stupor.  
"Heh…" Katelyn replied smiling, the shield fading around her as she collapsed onto the stained wall. "You really cannot take care of yourself, can't you?" It was then she realized the black substance had gummed her to the floor and wall. "Eww… what is this stuff? COBALT, get me out of here!"  
"Good grief, why'd you run ahead of me? Hang in there, I'm coming!" a voice replied, and Cobalt was seen running towards Katelyn from the tunnel entrance. With a brief glance, he experimentally fired a short burst at her, and sighed in relief when the black substance oozed with ease from the overlapping puddle and freed Katelyn from the wall. Turning round, he then fired a blast at Mei-Lin which also untangled her from the oil slick.

"I… I owe you one, Cobalt." Mei-Lin said, as she struggled to get up from the floor, before Katelyn ran over to help her up. "And Katelyn… Thanks for saving my life."  
"Anytime, friend." She replied. "But what was-"

It was then Katelyn noticed what she had barely stopped with her Bubbler shield.  
"Woah. That is the biggest Super Sea Snail I've ever seen in my life."  
"Coo?" Salty added, the muffled squeak emanating from her hat.

Still reeling from the shock, Chris then had an epiphany.  
"Wait… that's it! It may be unusually large, but it is still a Super Sea Snail! If I remember correctly the exposed portion of the snail is extremely soft compared to the hard shell, and it can't take physical blows there very well! If Katelyn's Bubbler was enough to daze it, then-"  
"Just get to the point!" Cobalt interrupted, as Tiny finally shook off its dizziness. While one of the rocket boosters on it seemed to have malfunctioned by the sudden stop, the other three were still operational and began to flare up, while in the distance Tetanus was preparing to fire another Inkstrike.

"Okay then." Chris replied with a slight tone of irritation. "Cobalt, do what we've always done in Turf Wars. Do the usual onto the sea snail's weak spot."  
"Okay, now I'm interested." Cobalt chuckled, his eyes narrowing in anticipation while he twirled the Neo Sploosh-O-Matic in his right hand "But I need time to charge the special."  
"That's where we come in. We'll be a distraction until your special is ready." Noticing the damaged Splattershot Jr on the floor next to Mei-Lin, he quickly unstrapped the New Squiffer from his back and tossed it at her, the confused inkling barely catching it in her arms. "I'll let you borrow it for now. Stay safe, alright?"  
"W-Wait! I don't even know how to-" Mei-Lin began, but before she was able to voice her uncertainty Tiny sped up towards the group, causing them to flee in various directions. Due to the damaged rocket booster however the snail was moving significantly slower than before, and it was evident it was struggling to keep charging at a straight direction.

"Oy, buddy!" Tetanus yelled from the distance, "I don't remember ya bein' this slow before! Whatever, lemme help ya with that!" Hammering another button on his exoskeleton, the Inkstrike launcher trembled ominously before it started to target the scattered inklings and launched a rapid barrage of Inkstrike missiles at them randomly. The very walls of the makeshift arena began to tremble as multiple black tornadoes erupted all over the room, while Tiny pinballed off the walls in an attempt to run over the inklings.  
"This certainly takes me back to some of my Tower Control sessions…" Cobalt grumbled, as he narrowly avoided another Inkstrike aimed at him. Using the gun in his right hand, he started to cover the oil slick left behind with his ink, while with his left he painted the path in front of him.

On the other side of the arena, Chris and Katelyn were fixated on distracting the oversized sea snail, while Mei-Lin was struggling to work out how to fire the Charger that was abruptly given to her.  
"How do you fire this thing?!" Mei-Lin shouted over the whoosh of a nearby Inkstrike. She was pulling hard on the trigger of the weapon to no avail.  
"Hold and release!" Katelyn shouted back, narrowly missing the giant sea snail barging straight at her. "Let go of the trigger!"  
Noticing a beam of light being emitted from the Squiffer, Mei-Lin experimentally pointed at the charging Super Sea Snail now careening at Chris's direction, then released the trigger. A high velocity jet of sky-blue ink blasted out of the nozzle, missing the snail by a few meters and causing Mei-Lin to stumble from the recoil.  
"That's it!" Chris yelled, rolling out of the way of another charge and started to paint the wall nearby. "Mei-Lin, just stay as far away from us as possible and paint us exit routes!"  
"O-okay!" Mei-Lin replied, bracing herself.

There was a beeping noise, and Cobalt realized his special was fully charged as his tentacles began to shimmer and bubble.  
"I'm ready!" Cobalt shouted, doing a sharp turn towards the group. "Chris, your turn!"  
"Got it!" Chris replied, "Everyone, go for the snail's face!"

Turning towards Tiny, Chris pointed his Dual Squelcher straight at the charging snail, and fired a salvo straight at it before switching into squid form and swimming away through the stream Mei-Lin made earlier. The ink impacted the snail's eyes dead on, causing it to slow down ever so slightly as it attempted to shake the substance out of its eyes. With the snail slowed down, Katelyn swung her Inkbrush at random, painting the area around her until her tentacles began to bubble from the special's accumulation. Standing firm in front of Tiny, she activated her Bubbler as it ran into her shield head on, causing the creature to recoil again and stumble. Just to make sure the creature was incapacitated, Katelyn swung a few splotches at Tiny's face, the impact causing the Super Sea Snail to become even more disoriented. With an irritated "Meep", Tiny stopped completely in its track, preparing to do another charge. But not before Cobalt skidded to a stop in front of the snail's face.  
"Checkmate!" he roared, activating his special and transforming into a Kraken, charging straight at the gigantic snail and impacting its face directly. As the creature stumbled backward, Cobalt repeatedly went after it and rammed its face again and again, until Cobalt's special ran out. With the creature still stumbling from the barrage, Cobalt pointed both his guns straight at Tiny's face, and squeezed the triggers for all its worth, a high pressure salvo of sky blue ink causing the snail to finally tip over. As his ink tank emitted a 'beep' to indicate a recharge, the gargantuan Super Sea Snail finally succumbed to the pressure and fainted with little spirals spinning in its eyes.

"Oh!" Tetanus exclaimed in surprise, watching the group of inklings gather around the KO'd Tiny. "Ya think that now ya knocked out my buddy y'all won? WELL IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING!"  
He hammered the Inkstrike barrage button again, but nothing happened. Looking to his right, he realized he finally exhausted his supply of Inkstrikes. The launcher itself couldn't take the stress of firing so many missiles in such a short time and promptly exploded, the scrapped weapon falling onto the floor with a loud *clang*.  
"Well…" Tetanus cackled, "Good thing I bought meself some spare weapons!" Hammering another button, he deployed four Inkzookas, and started firing indiscriminately as he ran along the foothold.

"This guy doesn't give up, does he?" Cobalt groaned, dodging the tornado of black oil being propelled at his general direction.  
"Well you know what they say about people this cliché." Chris shrugged, "They are many things, persistent being one of them."

The tornadoes being produced by the rapidly firing Inkzookas however weren't as fast the inklings expected, however. Possibly to the much more viscous nature of the oil compared to the ink, not only were they travelling slower they terminated earlier than they should. Seeing this, Tetanus narrowed his eyes in irritation.  
"BOOORING!" He groaned loudly. "What say we… SPICE THINGS UP?! FLAMING TECHNIQUE: SHADOWFLARE!" Pointing his guitar/flamethrower at the firing Inkzookas, he simultaneously fired a burst of flame at the swirling tornadoes, igniting the oil and causing miniature firestorms to erupt towards the bewildered Inklings.

"This guy is utterly unbelievable!" Katelyn yelled, ducking into a stream of ink Mei-Lin fired and dodging a lethal fire wave.  
"Well if the oil can't splat us before, it most certainly can now." Chris gulped. "We got to stop this guy before he cooks us all alive!"  
"And just when the respawn pad was running off of limited power!" Cobalt shouted, ducking out of the way of another flaming tornado. "Oh by the way, I forgot to mention the respawn has only enough charge to resurrect two more inklings."  
Chris stared at Cobalt with an exasperated expression, likely from Cobalt not bring up such a crucial detail earlier. "Okay, now we REALLY need to stop him. But how?!"  
The flaming tornadoes were also having a side effect of also igniting the oil that's already splattered all over the arena. Slowly but surely, the entire arena began to rise in temperature as the entirety of the floor that was covered in oil was set ablaze.

"We can't go on like this!" Mei-Lin cried, struggling to fire her Squiffer over the sweltering heat. "Can we put out the fires or something?"  
"It's risky, but it's worth a shot!" Chris yelled, randomly shooting everywhere onto areas set ablaze in an attempt to smother the inferno. While the ink evaporated quickly in contact with the flames, it was having some effect as part of the blazing fires began to reduce. Following his example, the inklings stuck together in a group, shooting ink around them to coat as much ignited oil by their own ink as possible. With the urchin introducing even more flaming Inkzooka blasts into the arena however, their efforts were proving to be somewhat counterproductive. It wasn't long before the inklings found themselves in a corner surrounded by flames.

"WHAHAHAHAHAA!" Tetanus laughed, pointing his Inkzookas and his modified guitar at our heroes. "This is the end for you! FINAL TECHNIQUE: HYPER-"  
"No way am I getting splatted permanently to a badly named attack!" Katelyn interrupted, pulling out the Pressurized Special. Opening the can, a flood of energy poured out of it, enveloping Katelyn and causing her tentacles to bubble as if a special is ready. From her back, an Inkstrike missile materialized, and Katelyn prepared to fire the missile as she pulled out a targeting pad out of nowhere.  
"Woah! Where'd you get that?!" Cobalt exclaimed, eyeing the missile. "We could give that urchin a taste of his own medicine with this!"  
"My thoughts exactly." Katelyn replied, winking at Cobalt. "Oy, you walking talking cliché! Why not suck on THIS?!"

Prodding Tetanus's location on the targeting pad, Katelyn launched the Inkstrike missile straight towards the crazed urchin. Taken aback, Tetanus couldn't respond in time, and was subsequently swept up by the hurricane of sky-blue ink, and was thrown off his perch. The urchin landed onto the patch of ink left behind by the Inkstrike, and his exoskeleton shattered upon impact, sparks flying from the ruined machine.  
"HAHAHA!" Tetanus laughed, getting up from the wreckage and staggering somewhat as the flames began to die down. "I never 'ad this much fun in a LOOOONG time! But if ya think I'd give up now, yer WRONG!"  
"ARE YOU REALLY…" Cobalt spluttered, his vocabulary completely deserting him. "What else do you even have left?!"  
"Veeeery simple! My own secret weapons!" Tetanus replied, showing his sharp teeth. "Behold…"

The urchin inexplicably pulled out two sharp machetes from out of nowhere, and brandished them at what he seemed to think was a cool pose.  
"…MY MAGNIFICENT SWORDS!" He finished, before lobbing them straight at the group. "TAKE THIS!"

The inklings instinctively ducked, but the machetes sailed way off the mark and far over their heads. One sailed just outside the arena and embedded itself onto the floor, the other flew far away into the darkness, and landed on something soft with a sickening crunch.  
"AAAAAAAAAARGH!" a distant voice cried out.  
"Ooo, nice hat! How much does it cost?" another voice asked curiously.

"Ah, ya think ya have me beat NOW?!" Tetanus continued, "Well-"  
"To put it bluntly, I think we managed to." Mei-Lin interjected. "Please, can you let us be?"  
Tetanus cackled evilly, and sneered at the inklings. "Ohohoho! I DON'T THINK SO, I still got my SUPER secret weapons! BEHOLD-"

Out of nowhere, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted the urchin.  
"Tetanus, that is quite enough."

* * *

 **AN: Good grief, this was hard to write. Between settling in with university, writer's block and general procrastination, this chapter was a hard one to get down with. I apologize to the readers looking forward to new chapters (all two of you, I imagine...).**

 **On the actual chapter itself, I had to immerse myself in every manner of cringe imaginable to get this out. Listening to soundtracks from Metal Gear Rising, reading edgy writing from various sources, and thinking with the mindset of a 12 year old trying too hard to sound cool. It was difficult for me to not lose myself, I'll say that much.**


	17. Infrastructure

**Infrastructure**

* * *

Out of the opening that Tetanus leapt out of, a familiar urchin stepped into the light, interrupting the tension between the inklings and the battle-crazed urchin. The battle interrupted, the opposing sides turned towards the urchin in question that stopped them.

"I've been watching the battle for a while now, but oi reckon this has gone on long enough, love. We'll stop the battle right here." The familiar urchin said, tapping a button on a remote in his left hand, the border of steel blocks above them rumbling and retracting back into the wall.  
"What the…" Cobalt said, looking at the figure. "SPYKE?!"  
"BROTHER!" Tetanus cackled, catching the inklings completely off guard. "I didn't even see ya! It's been a seadog's age!"

"Yeah, yeah. Good to see you too, Tetanus." Spyke replied dismissively. "I'll keep it short. Pack your things, love. We're leaving this place."  
Tetanus's eyes widened in surprise at first, and then he burst into jubilation. "WAIT, WE ARE?! YAHOO! Can't wait! There's a world out there just achin' ta see me!" Grabbing his guitar off of the wreckage that was his exoskeleton, he bolted back into where he came from, disappearing into the darkness.

Spyke walked over to the knocked-out Tiny, and patted the shell gently. "Hmm. Seems like I intervened at just the right time. Last thing I needed was this lil' fellah to be roasted by the confrontation." Looking up at the inklings, he noticed they were all staring agape right at him.  
"Ah…right." He said, turning and walking to the entrance of the arena. "Perhaps I owe y'all a real proper explanation, don't I?" Tapping another button on his remote, a section of floor descended down, revealing a set of stairs. Walking down, Spyke motioned the inklings to follow.  
"Come, I'll explain everything along the way."

* * *

Walking down a series of steel walkways, Spyke along with the team descended slowly down into the darkness, the former holding a flashlight in his hand to light the way.  
"We got a long way to go." Spyke said, turning back to the inklings. "Ask away."

"So what was the deal with that urchin?" Chris began, "You told us about him as a major threat, but he just said you were his brother. What's going on?"  
"Well…" Spyke replied, turning back to the walkway. "First off, he's not my brother. I'd be frank, if I had a blood relative that ran off every matter o' cliché under the sun and claimed to be much more special than myself in every way, I'd be dead from embarrassment ten years ago."  
"So he isn't your brother?"  
Spyke breathed a sigh. "On that note mate, no. But not entirely."

The concealed stairway behind them closed by itself, plunging the pathway behind them into complete darkness.

"I've been in this business fer a long time now." Spyke began, "I've had me fair share o' having to turn a blind eye to other urchins. Out in the streets, there's no room for sympathy. Either ya grab the opportunity when ya see it, or you watch in vain as the competition snatches it beyond your reach."  
"Sounds like a horrible way to live." Mei-Lin remarked.  
"That may be so, love." Spyke replied, "But when that kinda mindset becomes everyday routine, ya just treat it as the norm. That's just how bein' in the business is all about. At least… that's how I used ta think."

They rounded a corner, onto some slightly damp rocks. Grasping some railings erected on the edge of the cliff, the group carefully descended to prevent themselves from slipping.  
"One day," Spyke continued, "I met another urchin in the streets. He was a pathetic lil' thing, dressed in nothin' but rags and this frayed cowboy hat and with the tiniest Super Sea Snail I've ever laid eyes upon in his scrawny hands. He was running away from a buncha security, the lot screamin' about returning the snail to the girl 'e stole it from. Normally I'd just leave 'im be, but well… the kid barely looked like 'e was old enough to know the local streets by heart. From a brief lapse of common sense, I helped him evade the fuzz." He chuckled, watching the ground. "Possibly the worst mistake I ever made."  
"The urchin kid. That's Tetanus?" Mei-Lin asked.  
"Yes, back then tho he had no name at all. It's only later tha' I discovered he's orphaned. I dunno if 'e had any folk out there, but if there were, they'd likely forgotten about 'im. I kept him under my wing for a few days down here, hopin' that someone will come and pick 'im up.  
During that time however, well… he bonded ta me. Started calling me brother, always waitin' for me to come back from the streets, askin' how my day went, and asked a lot of unnecessary questions to boot. After a while I realized that 'e could be a liability. It didn't help either that somehow the cops were still after 'im. Whoever he stole the lil' Sea Snail from must've seriously wanted it back. It's only a matter o' time before they found the guy with me, and my career would've been over."

"I hatched a plan ta keep him busy, in the hopes that he'd be askin' less questions." Spyke went on, "I thought, if he were completely distracted, he'd forget completely about life on tha' topside, and he'd stop hankerin' me about it. For a while, I scrounged whatever I could that can keep him content. Food, entertainment, that kinda stuff."  
"Entertainment?" Cobalt repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of entertainment?"  
"Low budget action movies, a variety of superhero comics, engineering manuals and a selection of squidcore music."  
"Well that explains a lot!" Cobalt groaned, "I was wondering why that bastard was the way he was."

"Even so however," Spyke continued, "The kid was a stubborn one. Whenever he's burnt through whatever material I had ta keep him busy, he starts exploring the Barricade outta curiosity. One day however, oi reckon he uncovered something he shouldn't have."  
"That would be…" Chris said, intrigued.  
"The cross." Spyke answered. "Truth be told, I've more than just seen the cross down here, I've examined the thing many times in the past, but I'd never been able to work out what it was, or even what it was meant to do. But I one day I found 'im next to the cross, the poor sod driven outta his head and the Sea Snail enlarged to ridiculous proportions." The urchin gave off a dismissive shrug. "The kid started calling himself Tetanus, after one o' the villains in the comic. His manner of…socializin' has also changed drastically. And with every passin' day he got worse and worse. Eventually he became… well…" He waved his hand back at the entrance. "You know."

"And here I thought he didn't mean that bit about the tragic backstory." Cobalt remarked. "Guess he was telling the truth there."  
"Oh, believe me. Whatever backstory he came up for himself is misguided at best and grandiose narcissistic drivel at the absolute worst." Spyke replied. "But seein' him at that state, well I just can't let him return to society like that, no way I could'a have a possible serial killer under my conscience. So I left him in 'ere, spreadin' rumors about THE BOSS to scare people away from the center of Backwater Barricade. But I suppose it was only a matter of time before what I did caught up with little ol' me." Spyke laughed loudly, the laughter bouncing off the walls. "Karma can be a cruel ol' mistress sometimes…"

"So what changed?" Katelyn asked, examining the Super Sea Snail peering out from underneath her hat. "What made you change your mind and decide to finally let him leave this place?"  
"As a matter of fact," Spyke answered, "It was around two weeks after Splatfests were stopped entirely. I was personally quite surprised that everyone lost their will to be doin' Turf Wars, let alone bother ta cheer themselves up. It made me realize, keeping Tetanus in hiding like this was just pushing the problem away. It was then I decided to let the poor kiddo finally leave the maze that was his home all this time, and let 'im see the world, since after all this time he's still achin' to see the wide world just beyond. But I couldn't work out on a starting approach alone, after all I'm only one street urchin."  
Katelyn slipped the snail out of her bobble hat, and patted it gently as she contemplated what Spyke just said.  
"So while I was chewing on that, I was redirected to Glowworm Avenue today. Someone that claimed to be a smuggler directed me there this mornin', told me that he's got info there's good loot to be sold there. Turns out though that lead was bogus, all I found were two Super Sea Snails that some fool left by the streets and a case o' mild frostbite from all that snow. As I was wondering how I'm going to rearrange that smuggler's face, well…" He turned to the inklings. "I overheard the lil' chat y'all had with the priestess lady on the way back. And well… suppose y'all know the rest."

"So that's it then, a case of mutual interest?" Mei-Lin concluded. "But something doesn't add up, the information concerning the cross. How did it enlarge the Super Sea Snail into gargantuan proportions, and drive Tetanus crazy?"

"Well." Spyke replied, smiling mysteriously as they reached the bottom, a strange light growing stronger as they approached. "Why not you go and ask it yourselves?"

"…Huh?"

* * *

At the very bottom of the descent, a sight awaited our heroes that they had not expected to see.

In contrast to the dank rocky caverns above, the place they found themselves in appears to be composed of a wide open field, stone walls surrounding it coated in moss. A river ran through the middle of the area, bisecting it, while on the sides lush green grass grew from the damp soil. The very air itself seemed unusually fresh like the middle of a warm summer day, in vast contrast to the stale air in the caverns above.

But the most remarkable feature was that there were structures built down here, specifically huts made of straw and wood. While uninhabited, these huts looked as if they had just been built, as if some primordial marine life finished constructing those moments earlier. The largest hut situated in the very center of the field had an opening faced towards the group, inside containing a large ornately decorated stone cross, the very center shining a bright light that illuminated the entire miniature hamlet.

"Amazing…" Chris breathed, taking in the sights. Examining a nearby hut, there was even a small bonfire lit inside, the smell of freshly baked bread permeating the small space even though there was no discernable source.  
"This… this is all exactly what it was like in the history books!" Mei-Lin said in awe. "Everyone, I think all this might be where Inkopolis sprung from!" Reaching into her backpack, she knelt down by the riverside and began sketching the scenery before her.  
"What, this backwards collection of sticks and hay?" Cobalt remarked. "I expected something more impressive."  
Chris sighed. "Straightforward as always, aren't we?"

Stepping towards the largest hut where the light was shining from, Katelyn noticed a small stone slab that was affixed to the ground in front of the entrance.  
"Guys." She said, wiping silt off of the slab. "Check this out!"  
The other inklings gathered around the stone tablet. Chiseled into the stone, was a short message:

' _It is here, we shall take root. We vow to build a great city, where all life shall live in harmony. Let our humble beginnings be preserved for eternity, so that our descendants shall glance down upon their origins, and appreciate the progress they had made."_

"So… all this." Mei-Lin said, looking around the vast field. "All this was left as it was from when Inkopolis was only a concept? How is it all so perfectly preserved? That has to be at least two thousand years ago!"

" **That would be due to my power.** " An unknown voice answered. It was inaccurate to call it a voice in the conventional sense however. It rang through everyone's heads, in a matter similar to a half forgotten dream. Accompanying the voice came visions of a sunbathed field of wheat, a river brimming with fish, and the murmurs of various species speaking in a language both familiar and unfamiliar.

"What the…" Katelyn said, taken aback. "Where did that voice come from?"  
" **Here, my child. Within the confines of this hut.** " The voice answered. Looking up from the plaque, the inklings saw that the cross is now glowing even brighter, the iridescent light cascading over them like the rays of the morning sun.

"What the…" Cobalt said, staring at the monument. "Is that cross actually TALKING to us?"  
"Compared to what we just fought, I'd say this is tamer in comparison." Chris replied, and then he turned to the cross. "So…what are you… exactly?"

" **I am the Spirit of Infrastructure.** " The cross clarified. " **One of four guardians that watch over this land. It has been a long time since I have seen a new face. What brings you here, pilgrims?** "  
"Umm…" Mei-Lin answered, "We're here on a mission. I understand that the Splatfest Altar sent us on a journey to find you."  
" **Is that so, Miss Jiao-Yan?** " the cross replied, " **Ah… there is no need to be surprised, my child. From the moment you and your companions set foot in these caverns, I had been observing you all. Introductions are unnecessary. Please, tell me more about the reasoning behind your pilgrimage.** "  
"Well at least that's one less thing to do." Cobalt replied. "So…umm…" He paused for a moment before turning to Chris. "You better handle this. I'm not good with explanations."  
"It would be my pleasure." Chris said, watching Cobalt wander off and examine the hut where the smell of bread was wafting out of. "Now…where do I start?"

The next few minutes were spent explaining their entire journey thus far to the sentient stone cross. All the while, Spyke hung around in the back, listening intently to Chris's story.

"…and after defeating that urchin, our journey led us down here. And here we are." Chris finished.  
" **I see.** " The Spirit replied. " **Returning morale to the populace of Inkopolis is truly an important task. Unfortunately, I cannot solve this problem within the limits of my own power.** "  
"Really?" Katelyn said, somewhat disappointed. "Is there nothing that we can do?"  
" **Patience, Miss Spectra. Bear with me, an explanation would be adequate here.** "

Mei-Lin withdrew the notepad from her backpack, and prepared to take notes.  
" **As I have clarified before,** " the cross began, its light flickering slightly. " **I am the Spirit of Infrastructure. I govern over the cornerstones all over this land, so that structures stand tall and withstand the test of time. Also parts of my jurisdiction are cornerstones of a spiritual nature. Allow me to digress for a brief moment, but wasn't there an item that Miss Spectra obtained to gift to Miss Jiao-Yan?** "

A flicker of surprise crossed Katelyn's face as she remembered. "Ah!" She cried, "I can't believe I forgot about that!"  
"What is he talking about?" Mei-Lin asked, looking up from her notes. "He mentioned something about a gift…"  
"Right here!" Katelyn quickly rummaged through her pockets, withdrawing the Octoglasses that she had purchased from Annie earlier that day, before bowing down at her friend apologetically. "I'm sorry, with everything that happened today I completely forgot about giving them to you!"  
"It's okay." Mei-Lin replied calmly, accepting Katelyn's gift and examining it. "Hmm… why sunglasses?"  
"N-Not much of a reason, really." Katelyn blurted, "I- I was browsing Cooler Heads for something to cheer you up, and I just thought those would look great on you. There was something involving level requirements though, and I got into an argument with Moe about it." She gave a brief glance at the hut which Cobalt entered. "Which was how I met Cobalt and Chris, incidentally."  
"I see…" Mei-Lin put on the Octoglasses onto her forehead, and smiled. "Thank you, Katie. I'll cherish them."

" **You felt it right then, didn't you? The feeling that the two of you have grown closer?** " The cross continued, " **These little moments of charity. A selfless favor. An act of pity. Very minor gestures that seemed inconsequential when looking back, but form bonds that can only strengthen over time. These moments are what I preside over, and are part of the key to saving your home.** "  
"Part of?" Chris repeated, "Does this have to do with the other three crosses?"  
" **Precisely. My brothers: Evolution, Sentience and Unity. They reside within other locations scattered across this land, and are part of your objective with this pilgrimage. While I am able to resolve certain problems alone, for incidents at this wide a scale it requires our combined power. Thus, I shall grant you a fragment of my power. Keep watch over it.** "

The cross began to glow brighter, and a small ball of light emerged from it. As it floated down to Chris's outstretched arms, the ball of light faded to reveal what appears to be a quarter of a stone sphere, just small enough to fit in a pocket.

"Hey, are you done talking to the oversized lawn ornament yet?" Cobalt asked, emerging from the hut with a steaming loaf of bread in his hand.  
Katelyn immediately noticed what was in Cobalt's hand, and looked at him with a face of concern. "Umm… Cobalt. Hate to break it to you, but if this whole village was here for more than two thousand years, I'm fairly sure that piece of bread you're holding is way past its expiration date."  
"Ehh… you heard the fellah, everything here is preserved the day it was made thanks to him. I think this bread will do nicely for a midnight snack later."  
Katelyn eyed the freshly baked loaf briefly, and contemplated what Cobalt suggested.  
"…so where'd you find it?" She finally answered. Cobalt only chuckled, and led her into the hut with him.

"Those two…" Mei-Lin laughed softly, before turning to the cross. "There is one last matter I'd like to ask before we leave. What is your involvement with Tetanus?"  
For a moment, the light from the cross dimmed slightly. " **Ahh, yes. That urchin child. I am not proud to admit that even a being such as I can be capable of regrettable mistakes.** "  
"I'd like to hear about this too, mate." Spyke called out from the back. "I'd like to know what made that kid such a handful."  
" **And I shall. As his caretaker, you deserve to hear this as well.** " The cross said, " **The Sea Snail that boy carried was undernourished, subsequently it was also why it was so small in the first place. When that boy came to me, the creature was dying. It already struggled to stay alive before, but being relocated down here deprived it of whatever nourishment it can obtain. The boy begged me to help the creature however it could, and seeing the pathetic sight, I could not help but intervene.** "  
"I presume something went wrong along the way, then." Chris remarked.  
" **Yes… With my power, I redefined the infrastructure of the Sea Snail, allowing it to become strong. But the boy was also caught in my power, and it redefined him completely. His experiences in the last few days became his defining traits, which led to his sanity becoming unstable. I could not heal him after that, at the risk of damaging his sanity even further.** "  
"I see." Spyke said, nodding understandably. "Guess letting 'im have a breath of fresh air might just be the thing to help him, then. Maybe a few years on the surface should drum those troublesome traits out eventually. Thanks for the info, love."

" **Perhaps. Perhaps not. Only time will tell.** " The cross finished, " **But perhaps I shall send you all along your way now. Listen to the altar tomorrow, it shall point you towards your next objective. I wish you good luck with your quest.** "  
"Alright then. Thanks for the heads-up." Chris said, turning to the bread hut. "Hey, you two! We're leaving!"  
"Coming!" Cobalt replied, coming out of the hut with him and Katelyn carrying handfuls of bread in their arms, before noticing Chris's 'you can't be serious' stare. "…what? It's not like whoever baked them would miss 'em."

* * *

The inklings followed Spyke as he turned round and headed back up the walkway, and soon they disappeared into the darkness above. There was a lengthy silence as their footsteps faded away into the distance.

"… **you can come out now, old friend.** "

A figure with long robes and a hood wandered out from the shadows, who peered at the walkway the team went up earlier.

"Hmm," the figure said. "It would seem that we got our contenders."

" **Yes, perhaps. But… do you think revealing yourself to that girl was a good idea? They may realize the truth much sooner.** "

"What, me? I'm only a supporting role in this story. How they define their path is entirely up to them, my only role is to point them at the right direction. How much they know is entirely superfluous."

" **Possibly. I shall leave it to you then, you know what you are doing. They shall see the light soon enough.** "

"Yes. Yes, they will. Hohoho."

* * *

 **AN: For those that had been with me up to this point, you may have noticed the plot synopsis is a tad different (for everyone else... what are you talking about? It's always been like that! *awkward laugh*). I'm fairly sure when it comes to fanfics on this site, grabbing an audience involves a manner of psychology. It's not even that complicated, a description that hooks readers in is often enough. Unfortunately since I'm all grown up I can no longer contemplate what fascinates younger readers. Maturing really does have its downsides.  
** **Could be that I'm overthinking this however. Who knows.**


	18. The City Stirs

**The City Stirs**

* * *

On the shoreline of Bluefin Depot, the moon shining down from the sky, a section of ocean was spontaneously walled off by a concrete wall, and then the contained ocean water drained away into a grate. As the grate slid open, a blur leapt out of the hole in the ground, and landed onto the surrounding sand.  
Right afterwards, an ear-splittingly loud guitar rift echoed all around the entire neighborhood, prompting multiple lights to turn on in virtually every apartment building in a kilometer-wide radius. The source of the noise was a tall and slender urchin on the sand playing his guitar like a maniac, the resulting cacophony blasting out of an amplifier strapped to his back.

"HELLOOOOO WORLD!" Tetanus cried, as he finished his guitar solo. "Tetanus has arrived!"  
"Keep it down! Some of us are trying to sleep here!" A tired and irritated voice yelled out from the distance.

"Urrgh…" Spyke grumbled, the street urchin facepalming while he emerged from the grate. "Guess I got my work all cut out for me 'ere."  
"So I noticed." Cobalt replied, trying not to laugh as he climbed out after Spyke. After him, the rest of the team emerged from the hidden entrance, as they hurriedly climbed out of the drained ocean floor onto the harbor.

"Hey, Bro!" Tetanus said, looking around, "Where's the welcomin' reception?! Oi expected there to be Inklings flyin' 'ere by now, lured in by the power of my music!"  
"First of, Tetanus." Spyke groaned. "Inklings don't 'fly', they 'super-jump', big difference 'ere. Secondly, there's no welcoming reception because it's eleven in the evenin' right now!"  
"Wait, ya don't mean tha' there be no heroes bein' vigilant at night, and lookin' out for lawbreakers?"  
"You wot- oh bloimey, this will take a while…"

"It's eleven in the evening?!" Katelyn gasped, ignoring the exchange between the two urchins, "Ooo… I do hope my mother doesn't notice I'm late…"  
"It's okay, Katie." Mei-Lin reassured. "Just say that you were taking care of me if she does, that is a good enough excuse."  
"I suppose if she even notices… but thanks for the tip, Mei-Lin."  
"Lateness aside," Chris said, looking back at the grate. "I can't help but feel we've forgotten something But what-"

Right on cue, there was the clunk of hard shell on rock, and the very tip of a massive Super Sea Snail jutted out of the hidden entrance, along with a muffled "Meep…" as the unfortunate creature struggled to fit through the tight space. Tetanus briefly stopped conversing with Spyke, and turned to the entrance.  
"Ah, there ya are, buddy!" He said, chuckling. "'ere, lemme help ya outta there." Walking behind the inklings and jumping back down onto the drained sea bed, there were sounds of exertion and highly exaggerated grunts as the urchin attempted to pull out Tiny from the disproportionate hole.

"Oh…right." Cobalt said as he remembered. "What are we going to do with Salty now? Are we just…" he looked briefly at Spyke as the urchin looked at Tetanus from the harbor. "…going to return him to Spyke?"

"I was trying not to think about it, to be honest." Katelyn said, taking out Salty from underneath her hat, and giving him a gentle coddle. "But… I guess I have no choice now, do I?"  
"Look…" Cobalt breathed loudly through his mask. "There's always going to be a time when you're supposed to say goodbye to someone, but when you're going to is entirely up to you."  
"What do you mean by that?" Katelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Well personally I'd just take the lil' guy and leg it, but I presume you can come up with a better way to go about it." Cobalt replied, shrugging. "Go talk to Spyke. I'm not much of a talking guy myself if I'm honest, but if anything happens…" He took a brief glance at Spyke before looking back at Katelyn. "…we'll just revert to the original plan. I'll support you either way, of course."

"Cobalt, you really suck at coming up with plans." Chris remarked, "But I agree with him on the latter. We're with you, no matter what happens. I don't really have to repeat myself on that fact, don't I?"  
"H-he's right." Mei-Lin said, struggling somewhat to choose the right words. "You always had to take care of me… but if you have problems of your own, don't hesitate to ask us. I cannot do much by myself, but perhaps with us together..."

"Listen to yourselves…" Katelyn chuckled, as she wiped a tear away from her eye. "I'm supposed to be the one looking out for all of you, not the other way round. Haha…"  
She closed her eyes, and quickly composed herself, before breathing out and held Salty firmly in her arms. "Okay, I'll talk to Spyke. Salty, don't worry, I'm not gonna let you get into harm's way, okay?"  
"Coo…?" Salty replied, unsure how to assess the situation.

"Okay, y'all can cut the drama now." Spyke interrupted, walking up to the inklings. "I've been eavesdroppin' on your conversation over there, I've already decided on what to do with the lil' guy there."  
"Huh?" Katelyn replied, "What are you going to do with Salty?"  
"Well… how do I put this…" Spyke groomed his quills absentmindedly as he started thinking, "I put y'all through a lot of trouble, getting ya to reconcile my personal problems and almost being turned into fried squid in the process. To be honest I'm surprised Riley and Beano didn't eat the Super Sea Snail, normally they'd be on the critter once their thoughts went to food."  
Katelyn didn't comment on that, noticing that Cobalt's been staring at her with a renewed look of concern.  
"So… keep the fellah. Last thing I need is a reminder of what went on down there. Perhaps you could consider it payment for-"

There was a sudden interruption in the form of a loud noise akin to a plunger being withdrawn from a stubborn toilet, and abruptly Tiny's gigantic body sailed through the air, much to Spyke's bewilderment. The massive Super Sea Snail collided with the rusty steel pylons within Bluefin Depot, the unstable structure creaking loudly on impact before collapsing on top of itself. To top it off, a derelict train parked on top of the structure fell off the crumbling rails, landing onto the stage and detonated in a large fireball, the extremely loud explosion reverberating all over the neighborhood. If there were any residents in the neighborhood that miraculously wasn't woken up from Tetanus's guitar performance, the explosion most likely did the job.

The inklings and Spyke stared at the scene before them with looks of utter disbelief.  
"YOU FREAKIN' WOT, MATE?!" Spyke spluttered at Tetanus, which was laughing maniacally at the massive explosion while running away into a back alley with a slightly smoking Tiny. He quickly turned to the inklings as police sirens began to echo from the distance. "Oh for- whatever! Take the critter, run far away from here, we never met. TETANUS, GET BACK HERE!" He began chasing after Tetanus, vanishing into the shadows.

The group decided it would be the best course of action to evacuate the scene of the crime as soon as possible, and swiftly ran away from the smoldering wreck that was Bluefin Depot, leaving nothing but the sounds of crackling flames and approaching sirens.

* * *

The inklings have now gathered in Inkopolis Plaza, having ran from Bluefin Depot on foot from the commotion. The area itself hasn't changed that much since Cobalt had waited in vain for Inkopolis Tower to open, and indeed the entrance was still frozen shut since morning. However the blizzard has now all but subsided and all that remained of the howling snowstorm was a few motes of snow that still drifted from the cloudy night sky, the moon shining through from behind the clouds.

"So…" Chris sighed, finally being able to catch his breath. "That just happened."  
"Heh. Poor Spyke," Cobalt chuckled, looking at the trail of smoke that marked where Bluefin Depot was, "I reckon the next few days will be hellish for him."

"You know, now that I think about it," Katelyn said, "Spyke really does care a lot about Tetanus doesn't he?"  
"What makes you say that?" Mei-Lin asked, looking at Katelyn with a puzzled expression.  
"Well, how should I put it…" Katelyn leaned on the side of a vending machine as she examined the Super Sea Snail snoozing peacefully underneath her hat, "Spyke seemed to me like this guy that puts business over relationships. If he's devoting all this time and attention to Tetanus, then that has to mean he does treat that urchin as priority. He doesn't have anything nice to say about him, but he could have just as easily ignored him. See what I'm getting at?"  
"Actions speak louder than words, I presume." Mei-Lin remarked. "Maybe you're right."

"There's something else that has been bothering me…" Chris said, looking at Mei-Lin. "Back when we fought Tetanus. What happened to you? That outburst…"  
Mei-Lin hesitated for a moment and was about to speak, but before she could Katelyn quickly interjected. "She…doesn't like to talk about it." She said, looking at Mei-Lin's widening frown. "She's got an aversion to being covered in any substance that doesn't match her color, but black sets her off more than usual." Katelyn tilted her head slightly, looking at Mei-Lin with concern. "Now that I think about it, you never did tell me why you were like that. If we're going to be getting into fights like this, then that phobia of yours…"  
"I-it's okay." Mei-Lin stuttered, "You don't have to worry about me, really…"  
"But then, why even attend that one Turf War match at all?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow. "If you were that adverse to enemy ink…"  
"I…" Mei-Lin replied, "I thought that with Katie watching over me, I'll be able to suppress my phobia. Guess… I was wrong about that." She absentmindedly readjusted her sleeve, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes.

"In any case, I reckon we should be parting ways for today." Katelyn quickly changed the subject, and grabbing Mei-Lin's left arm. "I'll be escorting Mei-Lin back home now. So when and where are we meeting again?"  
"Hmm." Chris replied, deciding not to probe any further. "I reckon we'll meet at this very spot, tomorrow noon. We'll decide on what to do then."  
"So, we're meeting here tomorrow noon, sounds like a plan!" Katelyn gently nudged Mei-Lin away towards the streets, and waved goodbye to Chris and Cobalt. "Alright, see you two tomorrow!"  
Chris nodded, and waved goodbye to the girls. "See you all then."  
The girls wandered off, disappearing into the horizon. Watching them leave, Chris then turned to Cobalt.  
"Staying over as usual, then?" He asked the masked inkling.  
"Yeah. Lead the way, mate."

With that being said, Chris and Cobalt switched into squid form, and one after the other super jumped into the distance, leaving Inkopolis Plaza mostly deserted.

That is, except for the presence of an elderly inkling, peeking out of a manhole right next to the vending machine Katelyn was leaning towards. Taking out a photo, his shifty eyes darted towards the retreating figures of our heroes, before looking back at the picture, a freeze frame of what had transpired in the Splatfest Altar room with the four kids in plain view.  
"Hmm… seems to me we got a coupla handfuls of feisty young'uns over here!" He muttered to himself, stuffing the photo down a set of ragged clothes. "That's the reconnaissance mission done and dusted, now where's my crabby cakes…?" The elder inkling quickly vanished back down the manhole, leaving behind a pristine silence.

* * *

"Hang on to your…*yawn*… tentacles…"

"It's…*yawn*… Inkopolis News time."

Callie and Marie of Squid Sisters fame are currently in front of the news bulletin, prepared to make another announcement. This time however, both of them look to still be half asleep, and clearly not in the right shape to be making any coherent speech, let alone a news bulletin.

"*Yawn*… Steve, why did you wake us up in the middle of the night?" Callie groaned at the camera, "I wanna get some more shuteye, I had this magnificent dream where Turf Wars came back…"  
"I was trying to reach y'all since the afternoon!" a cranky voice shouted from behind the camera, the lens shaking slightly. "It's not my fault both of you weren't answering my calls until ten hours later! Now look sharp Sisters, you're on air!"  
"*mumble*… Steve, I don't see any point in making a broadcast right now." Marie groaned, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "There's no one in Inkopolis Plaza! Hasn't been anyone there since two weeks ago! Not much point in news bulletins if we aren't announcing any stages afterwards, are we?"

"Gnnnnn… Nevermind that, this is an important news broadcast!" Steve grumbled from behind the camera, "The Splatfest Altar's printed something, I told you two so many times over the phone!"

"Unless it involves a new Splatfest, I don't care!" Callie moaned, "Now if you excuse me…" She then proceeded to collapse off camera, the sound of snoring filling the room.

Marie on the other hand was slightly intrigued. "Wait, you didn't tell us what the details of what the Splatfest Alter actually printed. What is it, anyway?"  
"I 'unno, some kind of cryptic message. Here, I'll play it on the screen." The news bulletin then displayed the very same scene Steve had witnessed earlier, the Splatfest Altar printing the message alongside the inklings witnessing it.

"Hmm…" Marie watched the scene that played out before her, before turning to Callie. "Hey, wake up Callie! This IS Splatfest related!"  
"Wha… really?!" Callie instantly vaulted herself off of the floor. "Okay, you got my attention, Marie, what is it?"  
"It's… it would seem like some form of message on how to restore Splatfests!" Marie said excitedly. "Callie, we need to broadcast this, everyone would definitely want to hear about it!"

Callie read through the message a few times, before raising an eyebrow. "Spirit of Infrastructure… pilgrimage… Man, talk about a mouthful. The gods aren't making this easy on us, I see."

"In any case, this session's a bust, we'll rerecord everything." Steve said from behind the camera. "I'm not even supposed to be here, but I guess now I got your attention. We'll take it from the top- wait, is this camera still on-"

*click*

* * *

 **AN: I'll be perfectly frank. I don't even know how many of you are still with me after all this time, I suppose there's ThePizzaLovingTurtle who's been loyally reviewing nearly every chapter I've put out, but even now I'm starting to lose motivation to continue writing this. There's a lot of different factors as to why of course, but bottom line is, even I can't hold out forever.  
** **A writer is nothing without an audience, and without any sort of acknowledgement, I'm not sure if there's much point in continuing. Yeah I did say before that I'd be happy to be able to satisfy even ONE guy, but now I'm not so sure on that statement.**

 **So unless I can get some form of recognition such as praises or criticisms, ANYTHING at all, this could be the last chapter I'm putting out. I won't mark it as complete, because we're quite evidently not even a quarter of our way through.**

 **I had some thought on this, however. IF I'm continuing this, I could go for a different upload schedule, possibly writing a batch before posting them at regular intervals. That will ensure that I still got a regular stream of content for my audience to enjoy, AND give me time to catch my breath.**

 **But until then, if ever, this will be the last you will hear from me. Until this fanfic is buried under the deluge of other fanfics of course, in which case I'd likely be never heard from again. So... goodbye for now.**


	19. FIRST MOVEMENT

**# FIRST MOVEMENT #**

* * *

The spotlight lit up once again in the dark room. The piano was situated at the very center, just as before. But this time, an old brass music box was placed tentatively on top, right next to a blank music sheet.

Once again, the sound of a chair being moved reverberated in the mostly empty space, and a set of metallic hands reached for the keyboard.

" **I sense a change in the air."** A voice said, as before emotion completely absent, **"Our heroes have done it. Infrastructure is freed, and life is beginning to reawaken."**

The hands began to play the piano experimentally once more, but stopped almost immediately as the being seemed dissatisfied with the result.

" **Infrastructure… the children of the earth had it too. But their foundations were built on money, power, and fear. When judgement was cast upon them, they failed to reach out to one another, all thought being to save themselves. Selfish fools…"**

The iridescent eyes in the dark snapped open, as the being seemed to have had an epiphany. Reaching for the music box, the hands opened a lid on the small brass box. Within the box, a figurine of a small angel began to turn, as an enigmatic yet empty tune filled the room.

" **The children of the sea… they have infrastructure too. But what have they done with it? That fool, the urchin dressed in flamboyant garbs, society was what bred him to become a destroyer. They were no better than the ones that came before… even now as the freezing mist grasps their very being."**

Seemingly inspired by the tune from the music box, the being began to play the piano once more, the sound complementing the tune played by the music box. The being's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, seemingly content.

" **A chance. There are still three chances for them to redeem themselves. Perhaps, their brothers in arms will prove to be worthy. Deep… deep down in the fiery abyss."**

The music box finished playing, the angel figurine slowing into a standstill, and stopped entirely. The spotlight shut off, once more the only source of light being the mysterious figure in the center.

" **The first movement… is over. May the second movement be as grandiose a performance as the last. Let the story… resume."**

The being vanished, as if it had never existed. The room is plunged into nothingness.


	20. Dawn of a New Day

**Dawn of a New Day**

* * *

A lone snowflake drifted down from the sky, as a ray of sunlight beamed down upon Inkopolis. In stark contrast to the freezing blizzard from the day before, the weather was relatively tame this time round, with only a slight cold breeze permeating the air. Up in the air, even though the sky was still heavily covered by clouds, specks of sunlight were beginning to shine through the gaps, causing the snow in various places to begin to melt.

Booyah Base was one of many places in Inkopolis where the effects of winter were starting to retreat. Most of the snow aside from the piles situated in shady areas has all but melted, revealing large patches of the concrete underneath. Even Inkopolis Tower's doors were no longer frozen shut, water droplets flowing off the doors and shimmering under the sun.

It was right beside these set of doors that Cobalt can be spotted sitting down, his eyes half shut as he alternated erratically between snoozing peacefully and groggily looking around the plaza, waiting for something.

"Ugh… I probably shouldn't have stayed up all night playing video games with Chris…" the masked inkling grumbled, "Ah well, at least we managed to get here first…"

Abruptly, an inkling with orange tentacles ran past him, and stepped towards the doors of Inkopolis Tower. Noticing this, Cobalt turned to the random inkling and called after him.  
"Hey, don't bother man." He said, "The tower's still not-"  
But evidently unable to hear him, the inkling wandered straight inside the tower, the doors slamming shut after him. Cobalt simply shrugged.

That particular inkling wasn't the only visitor to have passed by Cobalt and left disappointed. For the past two hours, inklings have started to show up in small numbers once again in Inkopolis Plaza, mostly civilians that no longer had to face the prospect of taking a howling blizzard in the face while socializing in the plaza, but there were a handful of curious ones that noticed the doors into the Turf War lobby were no longer frozen. All that investigated left disappointed however, because even though the doors could be opened again, the machinery inside was broken down due to the lack of any maintenance workers. On the top of Cobalt's head, this would likely be the seventh inkling that leaves disappointed.

"Hey, Cobalt. Was that another player?" A voice asked. Turning to his left, Cobalt saw Chris approaching with two cups of coffee. The former accepted the slightly steaming cup from Chris, and looked back at the chrome doors of the tower.  
"Yeah, I reckon they've been showing up since the weather's died down a bit." Cobalt remarked, before turning away from Chris and lifting his gas mask gently, downing the entire cup in one gulp before readjusting his mask again. "They don't seem to have realized no one's been maintaining the equipment inside though."  
"Mmhmm..." Chris replied, turning to look at the TV screen outside. Just like yesterday, the screen was still turned off, a black display still present. "I suppose it's not like what we did yesterday would have any immediate effect."

The inkling that entered the tower came out again, looking noticeably more despondent than when he entered, and seemingly deep in thought. A chilling wind blew through the plaza, and surprisingly it bought a large piece of paper with it, the flapping object impacting the inkling straight in his face.  
"Ahh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" A familiar voice apologized frantically. Chasing right after the paper was Mei-Lin with Katelyn in tow, the latter barely slipping her bobble hat over the Super Sea Snail hiding underneath. Fortunately it would seem the orange tentacled inkling was too deep in thought to have even noticed the paper hitting his face, and he wandered off still thinking.

"Oh, there you are!" Cobalt remarked, watching as Mei-Lin finally managed to grab hold of the piece of paper as it drifted near Inkopolis Tower, revealing it to be a partially sketched drawing of some kind of octopus. "I was wondering when both of you would arrive."  
"I thought we agreed to meet here at noon." Katelyn replied, taking out her phone to check the time. "We just got here in time, more or less."  
"Cobalt got here two hours earlier than the rest of us." Chris said matter-of-factly. "He didn't really catch the memo when we decided on the meeting time, so I had to follow him here earlier than scheduled."  
"Wait, we were supposed to meet here at noon?" Cobalt asked flatly.  
Chris slapped his forehead so hard the sound echoed all over the plaza.

"Anyway…" Chris grumbled, "On to the subject matter. I've been studying the fragment that we got from the cross yesterday." Reaching into his pocket, he took out the quarter of stone sphere the gang received from the Spirit of Infrastructure.  
"So what's so special about it?" Katelyn asked, taking the fragment and examining it closely. While it looked like a crudely chiseled stone piece from a distance, upon closer examination the flat surfaces of the fragment had an intricate network of zigzagging lines that no carver could have made with a chisel. Turned at certain angles, the lines even seemed to catch the light from the sun and sent it pulsating through the lines.  
"Aside from the fact the inner carvings weren't like anything I've seen before, it just looks like any old quarter of a stone sphere." Chris replied, pocketing the fragment again as Katelyn returned it to him. "So have we decided on today's plans?"  
"I remember the Spirit mentioning there being another altar message being sent today…" Mei-Lin said, "I would've suggested that we head back to the Shrine of Guidance and await the message by then, but it seems inefficient…"  
"Well it was an improvement over going to the library and getting a rough idea on the location of all the crosses. That was my suggestion."

It was then something caught Cobalt's attention, while Chris and Mei-Lin talked amongst themselves on their next course of action. The orange tentacle inkling from earlier just wandered towards a nearby manhole and vanished, turning into a squid and jumping through the grate.  
"…Hmm? Did that guy just…?" Cobalt mumbled to himself, watching the spot where the inkling disappeared. His curiosity piqued, he got up from the floor and meandered towards where the inkling vanished, his teammates much too preoccupied with their discussion to notice.

Suddenly, the TV screen next to Inkopolis Tower reactivated, and the Inkopolis News jingle played. The inklings gathered in the plaza stopped what they were doing and turned to the screen in surprise, including our heroes.

* * *

"Hold on to your tentacles…"  
"It's Inkopolis News time!"

Callie and Marie showed themselves on the TV screen. It was clear however they weren't in top shape, the evidence being the presence of bags under their eyes and a noticeable effort to consistently stand up straight.  
"Hello again, Inkopolis!" Callie said happily, "Feels like it has been a long time since we announced the news, don't you think Marie?"  
"Sure is, Callie." Marie replied, "But we got a special announcement to make, folks! The Splatfest Altar printed something!"

Callie recoiled in surprise. "Wait, what?!" She exclaimed, "How come I didn't know anything about this?"  
"I don't blame you Callie, I didn't either." Marie replied again, a clip of the Splatfest Altar printing the message being displayed in the center. "This footage was recorded yesterday by our friends in the Shrine, and by the looks of it a few inklings witnessed this as well."  
"But what about the message itself?" Callie asked, making a glance at the footage being shown.  
"Unfortunately, it isn't a Splatfest announcement. But it would seem that this is a clue as to how to restore them." Marie replied, "It would seem that we may need to leave this to our talented agents."  
Callie nodded knowingly. "Yeah I agree Marie, all these cryptic messages are totally unfresh. That being said however, we'd welcome anyone that wishes to assist in deciphering this message, I imagine our agents will need as much help as they can get."

"That being said, we do have something else to share." Marie continued, "A large explosion occurred in Bluefin Depot yesterday near midnight, causing major damage to the stage. There were no casualties, but I guess no one's using that stage in a long time."  
"It wasn't being used since two weeks ago though…" Callie muttered, "Suppose we're ending the broadcast here then, Marie? It's not like Turf Wars are being played right now, not much need to announce the stages."  
"That is true, Callie." Marie nodded, "Regardless of such, we will keep you all updated when the situation develops. Until then…"

"Stay fresh!" The Squid Sisters said together, doing their signature pose. The TV screen then proceeded to display ads as if it was never turned off in the first place.

* * *

The inklings around the plaza began to react accordingly to the news broadcast. Some began talking amongst themselves, others began tapping on their phones and updating their friends and family.  
As for our heroes, there was some amount of pressure as some of the other inklings in the plaza realized that they were the exact same ones that saw the Splatfest Altar print the enigmatic message, and turned towards them.  
"Hey, don't those look like the inklings from the broadcast?" One of the inklings called out, pointing straight at them, "Let's go ask them, they have to know what's going on around here!"  
"Looks like our actions were being recorded yesterday…" Mei-Lin mumbled, looking around nervously as eyes began to settle on the group.  
"Well I dunno about you all, but does anybody else feel nervous?" Katelyn said, looking around as some inklings began to approach them, likely to question them. "As much as I'd love to be on TV, this isn't really what I expected. I get the feeling we shouldn't be answering questions right now…"  
"Well, I'm out of ideas." Chris said as he looked around at the unwanted attention they are getting. "Cobalt, any ideas- Cobalt?"

Chris then spotted Cobalt crouched on top of a manhole, next to the vending machine near Inkopolis Tower. He seemed much too preoccupied trying to see what's in the manhole to realize the team was being watched.  
"Dammit, man." Chris groaned, it was evident he wasn't expecting this turn of events at all. "Let's… act natural. Maybe if we walk away like nothing's wrong, they would ignore us?"

Ignoring the gazes of the other inklings in the plaza, the three began wandering towards the vending machine nearby. Standing next to the vending machine, Chris started to whistle a few tunes in an innocuous manner, Mei-Lin continued sketching the octopus picture she was working on earlier, and Katelyn stared at the vending machine itself as if deciding on what to buy.  
"Ah, what the heck. I highly doubt they're the exact same inklings on TV, lots of people run around dressed like that anyway." Another inkling commented. The small crowd agreed and quickly dispersed, going back to their usual routine.

Chris gave a brief sideways glance at the dispersing crowd, slightly bewildered at the short attention span of his own species.  
"Wow. I didn't think that would work." He said flatly, before looking down at Cobalt. "Anyway, what are you doing there, Cobalt?"  
"Hmm…I'm pretty sure it wasn't my imagination…" Cobalt replied, not even turning to look at Chris, "But I could've sworn I saw an inkling jump down this manhole."  
"What? That's ridiculous!" Katelyn exclaimed, peering down the manhole. Her hat wriggled for a moment, then Salty popped out of from underneath to take a good look as well. There was no discernable bottom to the pipeline from their point of view. "Cobalt, you sure you weren't just seeing things, right?"  
"Nah, I trust my eyes." The masked inkling replied, "I'm certain I saw-"

Abruptly, the ads on the TV screen were suddenly replaced by footage of the news studio once again as a harsh beep sounded through the air. The news screen in the center was once again displaying the Splatfest Altar printing something, and to the sides Callie and Marie stood bewildered right in the middle of wandering off the set while a shrimp wearing a headset standing right in front of the monitor and looking at the previously empty space quickly glanced at the camera and ran off-screen.  
"What the?! Another message now?" Callie exclaimed.  
"Oh! This- this is a surprise!" Marie stammered, ushering Callie to get back into position just as she did the same. "It would seem that the gods are making us work hard for this restoration!"

Everyone in the plaza turned in bewilderment once again at the TV screen as the second set of cryptic messages arrived much earlier than they had expected. Interested, Chris and Mei-Lin stepped away from the vicinity of the manhole and began watching the broadcast intently along with the crowd that gathered in front of the TV screen, the latter rifling through the backpack she once again bought with her and withdrawing a notepad, ready to scribble down the message being sent. Cobalt on the other hand was still fixated at staring down the manhole, with Katelyn looking at him skeptically before setting down Salty next to him and running off to join the others.  
"Do you see anything, little guy?" Cobalt asked, turning to the Super Sea Snail. The critter peeked down the manhole, squinting hard before turning to Cobalt and gave him a confused 'coo'.

Up on the screen, the message finally stopped printing. The camera zoomed in, showing the picture in great detail. Just like the last one, one of the crosses was shimmering in a rainbow color, this time the one emblazoned on the upper right.  
The message itself was just as cryptic as the last one:

 _ **Though you have reached an important milestone, your journey is far from over.  
The Spirit of Evolution awaits, its light buried under a mass battlefield.  
Where brothers in arms once stood hand in hand, but now writhe in endless strife.  
From lands they once shared, their reason to fight now all but forgotten.  
May your pilgrimage lead you to strength and wisdom.**_

Callie and Marie stared at the message for a brief moment, both of them quiet as they digested the message being displayed to them. Then simultaneously, they seemed to reach the exact same conclusion as a flash of clarity appeared on their faces.  
"Wait, isn't this message referring to-" Callie began, but Marie quickly shot a look at her which prompted silence from the Squid Sister instantly.  
Marie then turned to the camera, and tried to speak calmly. "Ah… it would seem that the second message would be referring to… some kind of battlefield where two species constantly fight one another. I'm sure our agents will find this VERY interesting."  
Callie nodded vigorously, and turned to the camera as well. "Yeah, I agree Marie! I'd imagine they would require as much help as possible… probably right now!"  
"But nevermind that, don't we have an event to attend? We'll leave the worrying to our agent friends." Marie said, "Well until then,"  
"Stay Fresh!" Both of them said, doing their signature pose quickly, before Marie motioned the cameraman to turn off the camera as they ran offscreen.

Suddenly, every single unnamed inkling in the plaza began speaking to one another, making random remarks an excuses such as remembering they had appointments to do, some place they have to be immediately, prolonged trips to the bathroom and so on. All of them instantly scattered in various directions, before converging at the manhole Cobalt was staring down alongside Salty. The two recoiled in surprise as a flood of inklings switched into squid form and hopped down the manhole one by one in quick succession.  
In no time at all, the only ones remaining in the now practically deserted plaza were our heroes. Chris and Mei-Lin were taken aback by what just happened, Katelyn was running towards the manhole to catch a glimpse of the stream of inklings disappearing down the grate, and Cobalt has fallen onto the floor in bewilderment, alongside a dizzy Salty which was spun around by the stampeding crowd and was now teetering on the spot with spirals in his eyes.

"Okay, MAYBE I could have imagined an inkling deliberately jump down the manhole, but I don't think I can just imagine thirty or so inklings jumping down the same manhole." Cobalt said as he steadied himself, and picked up Salty to dust him off. "I suppose you believe me now, Katelyn?"  
"There's definitely something fishy going on here, all right." Katelyn replied, accepting Salty from Cobalt and gently replacing the critter back inside her hat, "The entire plaza going for a disappearing act? That was seriously the craziest thing I've seen in my life."  
"The Squid Sisters were acting oddly as well." Chris said, walking to the manhole alongside Mei-Lin. "If there isn't some manner of conspiracy going on here, I'll eat my hat." Chris noticed Cobalt staring at him with a look of amusement as he said that, then he sighed. "It's a figure of speech, Cobalt."

"So…what now?" Mei-Lin asked, looking up at the news screen which has since reverted to displaying ads. "Are we just...going to… follow them?"  
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Cobalt exclaimed, and immediately jumped right at the manhole, shifting into squid form in midair and passing straight through the grate down into the depths before the others could respond. Seeing this, Katelyn also hurriedly jumped down the manhole while shouting for Cobalt to wait up, not noticing that Salty got caught by the grate and bounced off it with a loud clunk, landing lopsidedly next to the manhole.

"Cobalt, wai-" Chris began as he ran up to the manhole, then he groaned as both Cobalt and Katelyn disappeared completely from view. "DAMMIT COBALT, listen to me for once!"  
Mei-Lin looked at the manhole where Chris was throwing a miniature tantrum, before fidgeting apologetically. "Oh…sorry. I didn't mean to…"  
"No, no. It's not your fault." Chris grumbled, shaking his head. "Urgh… well, we better follow them before they get themselves in trouble with whatever's on the other end."

Approaching the manhole, Mei-Lin looked down through the grate, before frowning. "Is it safe to even jump down there…?" She asked.  
"Well I'd imagine if that many inklings were so willing to go down that pipe, it most likely is." Chris replied, before motioning Mei-Lin to go on ahead. "Ladies first."  
"Alright…" Mei-Lin switched to squid form, and slipped through the grate as well, before Chris did the same and followed suit.

All that remained now was Salty, as he got up from the floor and stared at the manhole briefly. As a second or two passed while the Super Sea Snail crawled on top of the manhole and stared down the shaft, contemplating how he was going to follow his companions, the manhole was inexplicably flung open by its hinges by some unseen force. Launched by the lid, Salty flew a few feet into the air with a squeak of surprise before falling down the manhole right after the inklings, soon after the lid slamming shut with a loud clang.

* * *

 **AN: Gentlemen, I HAVE RETURNED!  
Well, sort of. After a few weeks of being buried in assignments and tests, I've had another epiphany. Thing is, while the work I was stuck with does seem daunting, it fell apart incredibly fast once I took the effort to work on them. As a result, I've had enough spare time to work on this silly piece of literature.  
Thinking back, it does seem rather silly for me to think of releasing this story in batches. There IS one major downside to this, being that if there was a major mistake that I made, changing the entire batch would prove to be too much. Hence I've reverted back to the usual upload schedule of 'post a chapter and watch as it gets buried under other stuff' format. Sorry if that last message seemed a bit too 'attention-whoring' to some of you.**

 **Nevertheless, I welcome as much feedback as humanely possible. Don't be shy, say your mind on the uploaded chapters, ESPECIALLY any improvements or observations. That review box ain't gonna write itself!**


	21. A Meeting of Generations

**A Meeting of Generations**

* * *

If one were to climb to the very top of the steely ramparts of Inkopolis Tower, and set their eyes into the oceans in the far distance, they may see what appears to be an island composed entirely of jagged rocks and sheer cliff faces, with a minimal amount of vegetation growing at the very top.  
Not many locals within Inkopolis really acknowledge the existence of the island in question, aside from the fact that it was part of a scenic horizon during many elderly folk's sunset strolls near the water's edge. Indeed, most if not all of the elders seem to have forgotten what the island was named in their heyday, but nowadays when you ask them, their eyes will widen with concern, and they will persuade you to avoid 'Octo Valley' at all costs. Not that it was hard to do so, the cliff faces from all sides made travel by sea an impossibility.

Octo Valley would seem unremarkable from a distance, generally it was as there's only so much one can talk about a bunch of old brown boulders piled up in the distance, so no one really gave the island a second glance nowadays. Viewed from above however, an entirely different story is told.  
Hidden behind the sheer cliff faces and the jagged rocks, there lay an entire rock formation that resembled a giant octopus. But the most remarkable display would be the multitudes of seemingly floating islands composed of rock and rusting iron scaffolding and decorated with what appear to be giant kettles, scattered all above a massive sinkhole that lay in the very center of the island. The sinkhole goes extremely far down, to the point that a hypothetical bottom was all but obscured by blackness.

On one of these many islands, a ramshackle pile of corrugated steel and rusty iron panels that can barely be called a house was located, with a billboard situated right in front of it with various pictures of strange creatures composed of nothing but tentacles pinned on it alongside a collection of stray newspaper clippings and crudely drawn maps all connected by strings. A bit further in front of the shack, buried into the hardened ground was a manhole similar in appearance to the one in Inkopolis Plaza.

The manhole cover began to shake violently, increasing in intensity before two squids popped out of the air and transformed back into Cobalt and Katelyn, arms flailing in the air and screaming before they both landed on solid ground barely upright. Chris and Mei-Lin followed suit, unfortunately landing straight on top of the other two and causing all four inklings to collapse into a messy pile.

"Oww…" Katelyn groaned, having the misfortune to be at the bottom of the pile. "Hold on… Salty. Where's Salty?!"  
The manhole shuddered one last time, before it made a sound akin to a burping noise and its cover was flung open, ejecting a very dizzy Super Sea Snail who landed on the very top of the pile with a squeak.  
"Ah, there you are." Katelyn shifted into squid form, crawled out from underneath the inkling pileup, and changed back into normal before replacing Salty underneath her hat. "Wait…where are we now?"  
Cobalt dragged himself from the floor, and dusted himself off as he looked around. "I dunno… wherever we are now, we're definitely not in Inkopolis anymore."

After Chris and Mei-Lin managed to steady themselves as well, the group began to look around, taking in their surroundings. It didn't take long before Mei-Lin noticed that there was someone else besides them in this strange place.  
"Look… by that shack. There's someone there!" Mei-Lin said, pointing at the ramshackle structure in question. Standing next to the billboard, there appears to be an elderly inkling dressed in a collection of rags, unbeknownst to them the exact same one that had been spying on them the day before. There was also for some unusual reason what appears to be a beet red octopus with piercing green eyes wearing a samurai helmet and holding two horseradish sticks encased in what looks like a giant snowglobe next to the old man.

The old inkling in question was quivering uncontrollably, his eyes full of inexplicable horror.  
"Th…th…the oct…"  
Chris stepped forward to greet the old man, though a look of concern was in his expression. "Um… sir. Do you know-"

"THE OCTARIANS ARE COMING!" The old man suddenly cried, causing Chris to recoil.

"Woah woah woah… what the heck?" Chris composed himself as the others stepped forth. "Octarians… why does that term sound so familiar?"  
"I think I vaguely recall reading about Octarians in one of my books." Mei-Lin said, "They were who we fought against back in the Great Turf War. But I thought that they've all but vanished…"

"Well, glad to see that we got some educated types over here." The old man replied, "But we must be on high alert! They have not truly disappeared, but rather they've been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike!"  
"Blah blah blah… this old speech again?" the octopus in the snowglobe interrupted.  
"Silence, prisoner!" the elderly inkling snapped at the trapped octopus, before turning back to our heroes. "Sorry, I must've forgotten to introduce myself. My name be Captain Cuttlefish, leader of the Squidbeak Splatoon! It is my honor to welcome the four of you as our newest recruits!"

"Wait, we didn't even ask to-" Katelyn began, but Captain Cuttlefish cut her off abruptly.  
"From now on, y'all will be Agents 3, 4, 5 and 6!" He announced, pointing at the inklings in random order.  
"Those numbers are taken!" A random voice suddenly yelled. Turning round, Cobalt was surprised to see four inklings dressed in what appear to be neon green and black attire.  
"Hmm… 7, 8, 9 and 10?" the Captain tried.  
"You called?" Another voice announced as four more inklings popped out of a nearby bush.  
"Gah! 18? 37? 109? 1078?!"

Captain Cuttlefish began going through every number in random ascending order, and surprisingly each and every one was already taken by the corresponding agents, which appeared out of every nook and cranny. To everyone's bewilderment, soon any manner of surface that can be stood on in the general area was flooded with what appear to be three-quarters of the entire population of Inkopolis's inkling youth.  
"Ah bother, bother!" Cuttlefish mumbled, our heroes too stunned to reply. "If numbers are taken, what about letters? Agents A, B, C and D?"  
"Hmm? What is it?" Three inklings appeared out of the messy pile, including the orange tentacle inkling that Cobalt spotted earlier.  
"Ah, nothing. Just go back to your usual roles, urgh…" the elderly inkling grumbled, as the three inklings slinked off elsewhere. Captain Cuttlefish then turned to the large group of inkling agents and waved his cane irately. "Yer all dismissed, just get back to whatever yer doing, agents! Good luck!" With that, all the inkling agents rumbled off, some jumping back into the manhole the team came out earlier and all the others hopping into the various kettles scattered all over the islands.

"Look, we're not applying to be Agents, whatever that means." Cobalt finally spoke up, after an awkward silence. "Besides, I dunno why you're even asking us when you don't seem to have a shortage of those agents on hand…"  
Captain Cuttlefish turned to Cobalt, his eyes darting around hysterically as he scanned every corner for an unseen threat. "Bah, don't underestimate those Octojerks! They are a powerful threat, more than you can ever imagine! They have eyes and ears everywhere, they most certainly know you're here the moment you all set foot within Octo Valley!"  
"Yeah, like me." The octopus drawled, yawning.

"Be quiet, you!" the captain snapped at the octopus, before turning to the group. "Anyway, we'll decide on your codenames later!" From seemingly nowhere, Captain Cuttlefish withdrew four sets of the strange neon and black gear the other agents had been wearing, and tossed them to the team. "Put these on! This is your Agent outfit, the Hero suit! It also comes with the Hero Shot, y'all know how to use a gun I assume?"  
"Umm…" Mei-Lin began.  
"Good!" the captain replied, without letting her finish. "Well I'll just let you all put these on, I'll come back later with assignments! Now wasn't there a shipment of crabby cakes coming along in an hour…" With that, the elderly inkling hobbled around a corner, and disappeared completely.

The inklings were rooted to the spot, not entirely sure how to react after that.  
"Well. That just happened." Katelyn finally spoke up. "So what are we gonna do?"  
"We already have our hands full with restoring Splatfest though." Chris replied, "Should we be ignoring this Octarian threat, or whatever that old man just said?"  
Cobalt scoffed at that remark. "Nah, I'd rather not do what some random old man tells me to do right on a whim, I'm not some silent protagonist that goes along with the flow! Besides, I think that guy might be a few screws loose…"  
"Yeah, you got a point. We'll just drop off the equipment and leave before that captain guy comes back." Chris replied, walking up next to the snowglobe and setting down the gear next to the octopus. "Umm… if you see Captain Cuttlefish, tell him we're declining his generous offer. We got an important mission of our own."

The octopus didn't reply, simply staring at Chris with a piercing gaze.

"Huh. Not much of a talker, I see." Chris remarked as he backed away from the snowglobe.  
"Yeah, what Chris said." Cobalt added, placing down the gear neatly next to Chris's.  
"I'll just…leave this here." Mei-Lin said, doing the same.  
Katelyn didn't even bother with walking up to the snowglobe, and simply tossed her batch towards the pile. The Hero Suit landed messily on top of the others, while the Hero Shot bounced off the snowglobe with a loud 'clunk', causing the octopus to flinch.  
"Well, that's that." Cobalt said, turning to the manhole. "C'mon, we got a city to save."

The masked inkling began to walk up to the grate along with the others, but then a very loud and fake cough interrupted them. Turning to the source of the sound, Cobalt noticed that the octopus inside the snowglobe was waving at them.  
"Yo, did I just hear that right?" the octopus said, staring at them. "Y'all are workin' to save Inkopolis or something?"  
"…yeah?" Chris replied, somewhat skeptical. "But why would you care, aren't you like trying to destroy Inkopolis?"

Surprisingly, the octopus laughed. "Me? Destroy Inkopolis? Y'all got me wrong, I'm helping to save it!"  
"Wait, what? That's ridiculous!" Katelyn said.  
Mei-Lin however was intrigued, and stepped forth with her notepad in hand. "Umm… mister…?"  
"DJ Octavio in the house, baby!" the octopus shouted, surprising the inkling. "Now, you were sayin'?"  
"Ah… right." Mei-Lin replied meekly. "Octavio, would you care to explain your side of the story? I wish to know what you meant by saving Inkopolis…"  
The octopus now known as DJ Octavio nodded. "Sure. But… why not tell me about your little gathering over there? I'd like to hear your lil' tale first."

Mei-Lin contemplated his words for a while, looking at her team before nodding. "I…think we can trust you. Well… it all started a month ago…"

* * *

The inklings have now gathered around the snowglobe, DJ Octavio listening intently as everyone recounted the events that led them up to where they are now. From the very beginning when Splatfests stopped, to when Inkopolis fell into depression, their quest from the very beginning up till they met the Spirit of Infrastructure, the team told the aged octopus everything that has happened so far.

"…so while we were thinking of our next step, we saw the entire plaza disappear down here, and Cobalt followed to investigate. We all did the same, and now here we are." Chris finished. "Well, we were supposed to leave and try and work out where the Spirit of Evolution is, but I think we can spare an hour or two."

DJ Octavio stared at the group for a moment, and then unexpectedly he burst into laughter.

"Uh, what's so funny about it?" Katelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Gahahaha, it's nothin'!" Octavio replied, wiping a tear from his eye. "It's jus'… after listening to those Agents bragging on about those battles with my people over and over again or one of them talking their heads off about their Turf War careers, I'm honestly relieved to hear a fresh tune comin' from a bunch of squiddos like yourselves!"  
"You must've heard a lot of them, I presume." Chris remarked.  
One of Octavio's eyes twitched as he groaned audibly. "You don't know the half of it, man. These Agents are many things, but bein' original is NOT one of them. Hell, the blasted love songs on the radio are more varied than those lil' hipsters!"  
Cobalt could not help but snicker from that remark.

"Well, y'all amused me well enough." DJ Octavio said. "Might as well get on with lil' ol' me then. So, Mei-Lin was it?"  
"….yes?" the shy inkling replied.  
"How much do ya know about our history, may I ask? You seem to know a lot more than your companions, from what I can see from here."  
"N-not really, I just read a lot of books." Mei-Lin mumbled under her breath. "Well…from what I remember, the Octarians lost to the Inklings in the Great Turf War, due to one of their powerful superweapons losing power during a crucial moment. After the inkling's victory, they laid claim to the lands where Inkopolis now stood, and the Octarians vanished into obscurity." She looked around sheepishly before saying: "That's…all I remember."  
"You were correct, at least until the very last bit." Octavio replied, "Yes, I remember one of our Great Octoweapons suddenly stopping and falling right over just when we were about to win. Can you believe it was because someone accidentally unplugged him? One of Octotroopers in charge claimed that there wasn't enough extension cord to go around, but we all knew he just wanted to recharge his phone! Gahahaha!" The octopus chuckled for a while. "History is easier to remember when you lived through a lot of it yourself."

"So you're a war veteran?" Chris asked, "You seem to know an awful lot about the Great Turf War."  
"Well, I guess you can say that." Octavio replied, "Captain Cuttlefish is an old friend of mine, at least until the Great Turf War happened and we were forced to fight each other. It was a shame, really."  
"Was the war harsh on you and your kind?" Katelyn asked. "It seemed like it was rather serious."  
"Well, hardly. I'd be real with ya, it might as well be one of those recreational Turf Wars y'all seem to enjoy so much, except at a much larger scale. Only slightly more serious as the winning side got to hog all the fertile land while the loser was stuck with the barren rocks. The trouble only started once the war was over."  
"So what went wrong?" Cobalt asked, rather more intrigued than usual. "I mean, you guys have these big fancy machines and all, being relegated to barren rocks shouldn't be that much of an issue."  
"Yes, I won't deny that Octarians are comparatively techier than Inklings. We made the most we could with the barren rock." DJ Octavio continued. "In fact, all of Octo Valley is built like this thanks to us. Our structures stretch from up here all the way down deep underground. Not to bang on my own drum, but it's friggin' cool as heck. But…"  
"But what?"  
"Well, that Great Octoweapon fiasco that led us to where we are now might as well be a sign of things to come." DJ Octavio sighed, "We… have a power issue. Machines run on a lotta juice, and it's not like we can procure more easily. Goin' on a slight tangent, you are aware of the incident when the Great Zapfish disappeared for a few days, yeah?"

Chris pondered for a while, and then looked up at Octavio. "I think I remember times when the Great Zapfish isn't around Inkopolis Tower to power it for a few days." He said, "But usually it returns after 3 days at most, and people have spotted it swimming around in Piranha Pit. I just thought that it likes to take a few vacations every so often…"  
"I wouldn't know anythin' about the Great Zapfish's vacations." Octavio replied, "But the first time was our fault. By that point our power reserves were running so low our structures were deteriorating and were starting to fall apart. We didn't really think we had much choice on the matter."  
"You stole the Great Zapfish?"  
"Well if you wanna be up-front about it, yes. We also took a lot of normal zapfish with us but it seemed no one noticed those disappearing except for Cuttlefish." The octopus chuckled again, shaking his head dismissively. "All them years made him rather paranoid we'd come back for revenge. Guess he turned out to be right. Afterwards though our plans were foiled. By Agents 1 and 2."

"There's an Agent 1 and an Agent 2?" Katelyn asked.  
"Y'all ask a lot of questions for a bunch of lil' squiddos." DJ Octavio replied. "Yeah there are, why do ya think Cuttlefish started at 3 and onwards? Nothin' really spectacular though, they're just his grandkids he made agents out of the blue, just like the others. But those two managed to beat us, retrieved the Great Zapfish, and all the normal zapfish we've…borrowed."  
"Must've been humiliating to have lost to only two people and their grandad." Cobalt remarked.  
"Yeah, it was. Too much time underground's completely rusted up our talents. Joke's on 'em though, when they realized that taking the zapfish back meant we'll die from the whole thing collapsing in on our heads, that's one heck of a guilt trip. Gahahaha!"  
Chris raised an eyebrow on that remark. "You seem rather nonchalant about possible genocide…"  
"Well the past is the past. Back then I had some choice swear words for those slimy lil' hipsters, but they've decided to give us a hand." DJ Octavio eyed the shack in front of the manhole, upon closer examination the shack was jam-packed with an ungodly amount of what looked like stuffed facsimiles of zapfish. "I dunno how, but the stuffed variant works just as well as the real deal when it comes to generating energy, so Cuttlefish allowed us to take a whole bunch to make our homes habitable. I'll have to admit, I owe Cuttlefish and his grandkids a favor."

"All this time you two were still friends, huh…" Mei-Lin said. "But what about all these agents flooding the entire valley?"  
"Ah, now that's a funny story!" DJ Octavio laughed. "It all started about two weeks ago. This random inkling kid showed up one day out here. Poor bastard was bawlin' his eyes out! Agents 1 and 2 were around at the time to deliver crabby cakes, so they asked 'im what was wrong. Somethin' about Turf Wars being stopped altogether and Inkopolis Tower shutting down, I don't recall the finer details…"

The inklings immediately looked towards each other, a look of clarity on all of their faces.

"Soon afterwards, Cuttlefish showed up in our humble abode, and asked to finally cash in that favor." Octavio continued. "He then told me 'I'd like ya to give the kids somethin' ta fight for.' Or something along the lines of that, I don't really remember."  
"So all these agents…!" Mei-Lin realized.  
"Yep. We set up a large-scale relief plan to comfort the inklings over at Inkopolis. They were to become agents, and to fight the 'evil' Octarians from invading Inkopolis. I personally organized my people to act accordingly our role as villains, fighting really is all we know."

"Wait…'your people'?" Chris interrupted. "You're not just any war veteran, are you?"  
"Did I leave out that detail? Hmm, I must be getting forgetful." DJ Octavio quipped, rubbing his forehead with a tentacle. "Yes, my fellow Octarians consider me their king. But personally I'm not fond of titles like that, respect is enough. I'd rather be known as an entertainer of the masses, spinnin' spicy wasabi beats really is what I do best." He held up the horseradish sticks in his tentacles as he said so.

"So if you were acting, is Captain Cuttlefish also pretending?" Katelyn wondered.  
Octavio looked at the corner around where the elderly inkling wandered off, then back at the group. "Honestly, I'm not entirely certain when it comes to that old sea dog." He replied, "But his grandkids were something else. They're very enthusiastic when it comes to entertainment, reminds me of when I was just about their age, it's rather refreshing."  
"Hmm…" Katelyn's eyes narrowed upon that statement, and she started to wander as a thought occurred to her.  
"So what role do you play anyway? Just out of curiosity." Cobalt asked.  
"It kind of depends on the Agent. Sometimes I'm a generic tyrant that controls my people with music, sometimes I'm a conspirator that plotted my way into a position of power and keeping my people complacent with propaganda, and other times I'm just a misunderstood leader that was forced to bend to circumstances. Playing out those roles was entertaining, but I'll have to admit I'm starting to run a lil' bit low on steam by the time you kids showed up."

Mei-Lin finished jotting down the last of her notes on her notepad, and looked up at Octavio. "So… that's it then. It all sounds rather contrived in my opinion."  
DJ Octavio sighed at that remark. "Yes, I suppose it really is, when you put it that way. But it keeps Cuttlefish's Agents happy, and it does seem to be raising the morale of my own people to have something to fight for. Win-win."  
Chris nodded, then it hit him.  
"Wait, that message! 'Where brothers once stood hand in hand, but now writhe in endless strife. From lands they once shared, their reason to fight now all but forgotten'." He recited. "It's here! The message is referring to Octo Valley!"  
"That makes sense!" Cobalt replied, his eyes widening in realization. "If every Agent had different circumstances to fight against the Octarians, then that means they don't remember their original reason of fighting in the first place!"

DJ Octavio guffawed as the inklings were all surprised by their revelation. "Well, ain't that just convenient! Guess y'all would have reason to stick around with lil' ol' me then!"  
"Seems like it." Cobalt replied, turning to the octopus. "So would you happen to know anything about where the cross would likely be located?"  
Octavio shook his head. "Unfortunately I don't really remember. But I reckon one of my troops should know something. I'll ask Cuttlefish and his Agents to see if they know anything as well. For now, y'all may wanna be better prepared for the job."  
"Hmm? Why?"  
"Octo Valley is a huge place. Aside from the obvious deal of bringing supplies with you, it would likely take an overnight exploration if the cross happens to be really far into the complex. Contact your family and just make up any old excuse. Oh, and bring your weapons with you. I don't really need to tell you why now, do I?"  
Chris nodded, and wandered to the manhole to open it. "No, not really. Thanks for the intel, we really appreciate it. C'mon, guys."

DJ Octavio watched as the inklings turned into squid forms and jumped right back down the manhole, and disappeared from view.  
"So. You told 'em everything." A voice remarked. Octavio turned to the source, and saw Captain Cuttlefish hobble towards the snowglobe holding him captive.  
"Well, it's just as you predicted." Octavio replied, "It's only a matter of time before they came down here, I might as well just tell them everything that's happened here beforehand. Those kids seem capable enough."  
"Yes, yes." Cuttlefish said, noticing the pile of agent equipment set down next to the snowglobe. "Hmm, they don't wanna be agents huh? That's a shame."  
"Perhaps they didn't need to. For a bunch of kids, they seem strong enough to not need the support."

There was a brief silence as the two war veterans stared into the distance, as a chilling wind blew through the valley.  
"So, any chance you can let me out?" DJ Octavio finally spoke up. "I need to contact my troops."  
Captain Cuttlefish's eyelid twitched. "SILENCE, PRISONER! I'm not gonna let you go back and come back with reinforcements! I know all yer lil' tricks!"  
The octopus sighed. "Welp. So much for a bonding moment."

* * *

 **AN: Can't help but feel I've gotten slightly redundant with this chapter, in multiple ways. Still, I have to admit I had a lot of fun coming up with this depiction of DJ Octavio, as well as this deconstruction of the singleplayer campaign.  
I'm glad to see the reviews have gotten slightly more frequent. Possibly to diffuse any questions on that regard, yes everything has already been structured, even the ending. The actual hard part is to write all this down including the finer details, which I'm not that good at doing.**


	22. Stratagem Formulation

**Stratagem Formulation**

* * *

"Yes…I'll be staying over at Mei-Lin's house tonight… Why? Oh, nothing special. It's just a harmless sleepover… No, no, it's okay. I'll be back by tomorrow… Love you Mom."

Katelyn sighed as she terminated the call, looking at her phone briefly before pocketing it. Half an hour had since passed after the team had left Octo Valley and returned to Inkopolis to contact their family members as well as procure weapons and supplies for the journey ahead. Being the first to return to the manhole that led to the valley, Katelyn had to wait patiently for the others to follow suit, but not before she took the time to make an important phone call.

"Hey, you're ready for this trip yet?" A voice asked. Turning to the source, Katelyn watched as Cobalt approached her, wielding the Sploosh-O-Matic and the Neo Sploosh-O-Matic he had been using yesterday.  
"Yeah, I am." she replied, pointing to the Inkbrush Nouveau strapped to her back. "I just decided to bring this with me. I also left Salty at my home, I don't really want him getting hurt while we're traversing through Octo Valley."  
"Hmm." Cobalt mused, twirling the weapons in his hands. "You sure it's safe to leave Salty at your house?"

* * *

Salty's eyes flickered lazily as he looked around outside the windowsill. It was a beautiful day outside, and Katelyn's apartment provided a very remarkable view of it.  
The Super Sea Snail exhaled a breath of content as he enjoyed the view, the warm rays of sunlight cascading onto his shell. Inkopolis Tower… a couple of oddly shaped clouds… a lonely shack on top of a distant hill… a seagull flying straight towards him…

Salty squeaked in surprise as the seagull collided into him head-on, the bird squawking irately as it tried to peck at the critter. Fortunately, the flying creature didn't notice the obvious exposed flesh that was Salty's face, and just proceeded to nip uselessly at the shiny shell.  
Irritated, the seagull squawked angrily before proceeding to pick Salty up by one of the pointy bits on his shell, and proceeded to fly straight out of the window, carrying the bewildered Sea Snail with it.

* * *

"I'm sure he's okay." Katelyn said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.  
"I'll take your word for it." Cobalt replied, leaning towards the vending machine, before looking around the plaza. Aside from a few inklings sitting around the plaza, the place was mostly deserted.

A few moments passed as a windy breeze blew through the area, the gust briefly interrupting the quiet atmosphere, before it settled down again. The two inklings looked around the plaza, not focusing on any singular object along the way.

"So…" Cobalt finally spoke up, "who was that you were talking to?"  
"Oh, that was just my mother." Katelyn replied, looking at the masked inkling, but failing to meet his gaze. "She… well. Honestly I don't even why I bothered to call her, she's always busy. Even when I see her at home, she's still busy with work and doesn't really have much to say."

"You don't seem very happy to talk about your mother… do you hate her?" Cobalt asked.  
Katelyn met Cobalt's gaze, a somewhat forced smile on her face. "Oh… no, no I don't. I love her all the same, even if she doesn't show it. But…"  
"Hmm." Cobalt mumbled, turning away from Katelyn.

There was a brief silence in the air as the two inklings stared into the distance, their eyes unfocused.

"…Okay." Katelyn sighed. "Perhaps… I do feel alone sometimes. I do what I can to make her happy, but I just wish… I could get some recognition."

"Well… I think your mother is a lucky woman," Cobalt spoke, his voice devoid of emotion. "To have a loving daughter like you, I mean. Cherish it. You don't really know what you're blessed with until you lose it."

"Lose… wait, are you-" Katelyn began, but stopped herself before she could continue, looking at Cobalt with eyes of pity. Noticing this, Cobalt simply waved his hand dismissively at her direction.  
"It's okay. I'm used to being alone by now. Besides… I got Chris, whether I like it or not." The masked inkling looked straight at her, chuckling. "I'm fine as it is. I'm very strong, remember?"

"You're right. But I suppose… it never hurts to ask for help, you know?" Katelyn said, approaching Cobalt and giving him a pat on the shoulder. "We're friends now, you can always count on me to help you out, okay?"  
"…" Cobalt didn't reply, looking around the plaza lazily. Eventually, his gaze landed on two approaching figures, and he got up away from the vending machine. Katelyn looked at Cobalt's retreating back for a moment, before shrugging and occupying the vacated spot the inkling was earlier, leaning on the vending machine.

"Hey, what took you two so long?" Cobalt shouted at the approaching figures of Chris and Mei-Lin as if nothing was wrong. Both had the weapons they were using the day before.  
"You do realize that an overnight trip means that we need to pack food, right?" Chris replied with a slightly irritated tone. "It's important to consider every factor before going on large excursions like this. After what happened yesterday with Tetanus, I don't feel like taking any chances."  
"I packed whatever I can find on Octarian history, but there isn't much written about them." Mei-Lin continued. "Not sure how it's going to help at all, but…"

"So what about your folks, Chris? Did you…?" Cobalt asked. Chris noticed Katelyn fidgeting slightly, but thought nothing of it.  
"I decided to tell them the truth, that we'll be exploring Octo Valley overnight." Chris replied, prompting a bit of surprise from the others. "My parents reckoned I was capable enough of taking care of myself though, so there's that."  
"Well that's convenient. What about you, Mei-Lin?"  
Mei-Lin hesitated for a brief moment, before blurting out her answer. "I'm… fine."

"Then let's get going. I'd rather not keep Octavio waiting for us any longer." Cobalt said, before running back to the manhole and hopping in, with the others following suit.

* * *

"Ah, you're all back!" Octavio said as the four inklings emerged from the other side of the manhole. "I presume y'all prepped up for the trip into Octo Valley?"  
"We've packed weapons and supplies, just as you said." Chris replied, "So have you contacted Cuttlefish and the other agents about our plans?"

The octopus looked around in his snowglobe prison, and groaned. "I tried. But Captain Cuttlefish had one of his lil' moments, and refused to help. I can't contact my troops while I'm stuck in here, either."  
"Hmm. Is there anything we can do to help you?" Katelyn asked, looking at DJ Octavio's rather unorthodox confinement.  
"There is. If my memory serves, there oughta be a few switches on the base of this snowglobe. Just right around…" He waved a tentacle around the back of the support, "…there."  
"'Kay. Lemme just take a look…" Katelyn began to approach the snowglobe to get a closer look, when…

"STOP RIGHT THERE, CIVILIAN!"  
"Step away from him, he's a dangerous criminal!"

The group was taken aback by the sudden interruption, and instinctively turned to the source of the voice. Right where Captain Cuttlefish was seen standing around earlier, there was now two young female inklings looking right where Katelyn was approaching. One had black tentacles and was wearing a pinkish shirt and matching beanie alongside a pair of sunglasses, while the other had whitish tentacles and wearing a lime green shirt with a matching cap, along with a surgical mask covering her face.

"Yeah, what Mar- Agent 2 said!" the black and pink inkling said, "Step away! If you let him go, you'll let loose a psychopathic menace!"  
"The four of you should not be here. This is a dangerous place." The inkling known as Agent 2 added. "How did you come here?"

Katelyn eyed the two inklings before her, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Who are you two?"  
The sunglasses inkling saluted, while the surgical mask inkling stood up straight. "I'm Agent 1, and this is Agent 2!" the former said, "At your service!"  
"Oh, are those the agents that Octavio mentioned he was beaten by?" Chris remarked, looking at the two inklings before them. "Are you-"  
Katelyn stopped Chris mid-sentence with a wave of her hand and a knowing wink, before turning back to the agents. "Agents 1 and 2, eh? You know, I'd love to believe that we just almost helped a crazed psychopath escape, but I would've believed it if the two of you weren't lying… Callie and Marie of the Squid Sisters!"

The two inklings flinched simultaneously from the accusation, before Agent 1 spoke up first.  
"W-What makes you think me and Mar- Agent 2 are those amazing pop stars?" She stammered.  
"Yeah…" Agent 2 mumbled, "Do you even have any evidence of your claims? Accusing the authorities of slander is a major offense!"

"Well, it's VERY simple." Katelyn shot back. "Firstly, there are your appearances. Priestess Saika told us that monochrome tentacles and golden cross-pupiled eyes are extremely rare amongst inklings. Not to mention that your choice of clothing is pink contemplating black, and lime contemplating white. Seem familiar?"

"There are… plenty of inklings dressed like that! Like our… um…" Agent 1 mumbled.

"Secondly!" Katelyn continued, "DJ Octavio told us that the two agents that defeated him took after his own childhood self. Given that he has a talent for theatrics it is only natural that the two of you are acting as well! Besides, I know that double-act gimmick when I see it!"

"But… he must be totally lying about his childhood, have you considered it?" Agent 2 replied, fidgeting uncomfortably on the spot.

"Yeah, I considered that possibility. BUT!" Katelyn shouted with a knowing smile on her face. "Agent 1 here just unintentionally gave the game away by calling you Marie before correcting herself. What do you have to say about that?"

There was a brief awkward silence as Katelyn crossed her arms triumphantly, and the two Agents before her stared at each other for a moment, before Agent 2 unexpectedly screamed in frustration, and tore off her surgical mask, revealing that she was, indeed, Marie of the Squid Sisters. Chris was chuckling from Katelyn's impromptu detective schtick, while Mei-Lin and Cobalt were staring in surprise.  
"DAMMIT, CALLIE!" The now not-so-disguised pop star shouted in irritation. "That was the three-hundred and seventh time you gave the game away to the others prematurely!"  
"Uh… oops?" Agent 1 said, taking off her sunglasses and subsequently making her identifiable as Callie in turn. "Wait, did you seriously keep score on how many times I screwed up the script?"  
"No, not really. But it felt like it was THAT much."

"Heh, now that was amusing to watch." Cobalt remarked. "But as much as I liked seeing the two ladies that always announced the stages embarrass themselves, why all the cloak and dagger?"  
"Well if you all know about the situation here from Octavio," Callie replied, "We're supposed to be playing our parts as awesome secret agents! Being all sneaky is part of the job description."  
"That's not the only reason of course…" Marie continued. "Given our status as Inkopolis' pop culture icons; we have to disguise ourselves whenever we show up in public. As much as we love our fans, a few of them can be quite…weird."  
"Yeah, remember that story that one fan wrote about us?" Callie grimaced, "The one involving us, him, and a Slosher?"  
"Oh good grief, don't remind me." Marie gave an involuntary flinch as she recalled something unpleasant. "That took three months of therapy to slash out of my brainpan."

"That disguise doesn't really work though. Katelyn recognized the two of you so easily…" Mei-Lin remarked.  
"Actually, normally it does." Marie replied, "I put on this surgical mask, nobody is able to recognize me as who I really am. It's so easy to the point that sometimes I wonder if they really know who I was and are just fooling around."  
"Maybe you're right, Marie." Callie interjected. "Honestly though, this Katelyn girl here was the fourteenth quickest inkling that deduced our real identities through sheer logic."  
"Who was the fastest one that recognized the two of you?" Katelyn asked out of curiosity.  
"Someone that recognized us by our exact measurements, our specific bodily imperfections, and our SMELL." Marie cringed. "We gave him a complementary restraining order and a slap to the faces for good measure."

"Okay, I think we're rapidly goin' off-topic here." DJ Octavio interrupted. "Can you let me out? I need to contact my troops to tell them something important."  
"Yeah, just wait a little bit, Octavio!" Callie replied, turning to the group. "Well, I know now that this peppy girl here is Katelyn, but what about the three of you?"  
"I'm Chris. The one in the gas mask is Cobalt, and this one here not in standard Turf War garb is Mei-Lin." Chris said, offering his hand which Marie shook, "Nice to meet the actual sisters in person."  
"Well, nice to meet your acquaintance." Marie replied, "But we're not really sisters, more like cousins."  
"Doesn't really make any difference, though!" Callie added happily, "We're totally in sync, regardless! Anyway, I should probably ask, why the four of you here are wandering about in Octo Valley?"  
"I just assumed that Gramps would've made them Agents the very moment they first set foot in here, but by the looks of things they've rejected it." Marie continued. "Don't suppose any of you would explain to me why?"  
"Oy, just lemme out already!" Octavio complained, turning around frantically. "I'll bring the two of you up to speed; they told me everything while the two of you were away. I don't think these squiddos would want to repeat themselves."

"Oh okay, fine. Jeez…" Marie groaned, walking up to the snowglobe, and knelt beside the base before fiddling with something the other inklings can't see. Before long, the glass globe with the octopus still inside unscrewed itself off the base, rolling off the sloped side and coming to a stop next to the shack.  
"Finally! I badly needed to go to the bathroom after being in there for so long." Octavio said, climbing out of the globe and looking around, before taking off in a random direction and disappearing from sight.  
"…guess we'll wait till he comes back, huh?" Callie remarked, with the others nodding in agreement.

* * *

Some time has passed since Octavio returned from his impromptu break, and explained the situation to the Squid Sisters. Armed with the knowledge, Callie and Marie had temporarily left to contact the agents within Octo Valley on the situation, while DJ Octavio had wandered off elsewhere to do the same with his troops. Waiting for their return, our heroes now sat huddled in a circle on the floor, next to the billboard. In front of them were the supplies they had gathered, alongside four sets of Agent headphones.

"So…what's taking the three of them so long?" Cobalt finally asked, idly looking at the billboard with photos of various members of the Octarian race pinned on it.  
"You saw how many agents there were, Cobalt." Chris replied, "I'd imagine contacting each one of them individually will take a seriously long time. I doubt Octavio would have an easier time, either."  
"On the contrary," a voice interrupted, "It doesn't take as long as you might think." Rounding a corner, Captain Cuttlefish hobbled right out of the shadows, wiping a few crumbs from his beard.  
"Oh hey, Captain Cuttlefish." Katelyn greeted. "You didn't tell us that your grandkids were the Squid Sisters! That was quite the pleasant surprise."  
"Well, I wouldn't say it's that much of a surprise, I expected them to go far ever since they won that singing contest when they were still children!" The elderly inkling replied, "But I digress. Those Agent headsets in front of ya allows long distance contact with home base, which makes information easy to relay, so take those along. On that note, my offer to join as Agents is still open!"  
"We politely decline." Mei-Lin said, nodding courteously. "I'm not really that much of a fighter anyway…"

"Even if you're not going to join our little gathering," another familiar voice said, "I would advise keeping those headsets with you anyway." Emerging from another corner, Callie and Marie made a reappearance, once again donning their disguises.  
"It's mostly for convenience." Callie continued, "While the four of you are down there, we can keep in touch, in case something happens."

"Oh, my beloved grandsquids!" Captain Cuttlefish exclaimed, walking up to the duo. "So, did the other agents find anything?"  
"We're just about to get into that." Marie replied, "Agent 395 mentioned something about a local octarian telling her about a 'Point of Power' deep inside the Smokestack Geothermal Plant."  
"I see. Was there anything else?" Cuttlefish asked.  
"There's one problem." Callie continued, "This 'Smokestack Geothermal Plant'… None of the other agents know anything about it. I don't get it, our Agents must have explored every inch of Octo Valley by now, why wouldn't they know anything about it?"  
"I can answer that." Yet another voice interjected. From a nearby kettle entrance, DJ Octavio emerged with a receiver in one tentacle. "That power plant is located in a sector of Octo Valley that's been closed off, or to give it its proper name: Sector 0."

"Wait, there's another sector of Octo Valley?! Why haven't you told this to me?" Captain Cuttlefish spluttered, his eye twitching. "What other secrets have you been hiding from me, you-"  
"Oh, excuse me for a moment." Marie interrupted, withdrawing from her pocket what appears to be a pastry topped with a filling of crab meat and fish roe, and waved it in front of the livid sea captain. Seemingly snapping out of it, Captain Cuttlefish snatched the treat out of her hands and devoured it messily in one gulp.  
"Well, I can say for certain that you're well prepared." Katelyn chuckled.

"Mmhmm, thanks for the crabby cake!" Captain Cuttlefish mumbled, wiping the remains off of his beard. "Now, where was I…?"  
"The power plant?" Callie reminded him.  
"Oh, right!" The elderly inkling mumbled cheerfully. "So… old friend. What do you mean that the sector it is located in is closed off?"  
"So, as I was saying…" DJ Octavio continued. "Well, this was only a few months after we were relocated to Octo Valley. Our power reserves were already running a tad low at the time, so we were looking to alternative ways of generating power. Smokestack was one of our first attempts at self-sufficient power generation… at least that was until something went seriously wrong."  
"What happened?" Mei-Lin asked.  
"Well you can't just go and make a geothermal plant without disturbing the rocks a bit, see." Octavio replied, "It was one our better ideas at the time, since we were building far underground anyway. A geothermal plant would've been perfect, a lot more efficient since we don't have very far to reach the mantle. Unfortunately, our efforts triggered an earthquake which not only made the prospect impossible, but we also lost our lowest domes to the resulting collapse. We lost a good quarter of our population with it, as well."  
"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss, old friend." Captain Cuttlefish replied apologetically. "Probably shouldn't have tried to make you bring it up."

"Ah, it's okay. You helped saved my people; I can take being shouted at a few times." Octavio waved his tentacle dismissively. "What I do know is this: There are four entry points into the collapsed sector, but it is impossible to send in too many troops into each one at once due to the unstable structure. It made initial rescue efforts utterly impossible as a result, we just can't get enough people out in time before the whole thing likely falls on our heads. In the end, I had no choice but to leave the remaining survivors to fend for themselves, we just didn't have the resources to mount a mass rescue at the time."  
"Man, you guys just can't catch a break, can you?" Katelyn remarked, "Why are you guys supposed to be the villains, again?"

"Nevermind that." Chris interjected. "So what's the plan here? From what I can gather, we're venturing into dangerous territory. Aside from the fact that the place could fall on top of us at any given moment, the collapse occurred before the Zapfish incident, didn't it? Any Octarians we're likely going to run into down there aren't going to be very pleased to see Inklings in their turf."  
"I'm getting there." Octavio replied. "I believe that with Cuttlefish's Agents on our side alongside their resources, we now have the ability to mount a proper rescue for any Octarians likely still stranded down there. My kind are a resilient bunch, I doubt anything outside of being splatted by ink can bring down a battle-hardened Octarian that easily."  
"Don't worry Octavio, we got your back." Marie remarked, nodding. "I can vouch for the support."  
"If she's in, then so am I!" Callie added, "C'mon Marie, let's go contact the agents. They'll need to be prepared for this." With that being said, the duo wandered off and disappeared round another corner, with Cuttlefish following suit.

"Well, there they go." Katelyn said, looking back at where they wandered off. "So what are we supposed to do, anyway?"  
"Ah right. I'll be telling the Agents to assist in reinforcing the structure around the collapsed sector so the whole place won't fall apart when we eventually venture into Sector 0 ourselves, but I am certain this will likely cause the deterioration of the sector to speed up." Octavio continued. "That's where the four of you come in. Until you all reach this cross located within it, we'll have to postpone the rescue effort in case the increased activity from our efforts buries it completely. This mission to restore the spirit of Inkopolis does take priority over the rescue of any survivors within Sector 0, after all."  
"There are four entrances into this collapsed sector." Chris said, putting two and two together. "I would guess we'll need to split up and enter Sector 0 on our own?"  
"Not necessarily, I'll explain along the way." DJ Octavio motioned the group to follow, but not before stopping short. "Say, that masked friend of yours seems awfully quiet for a while now. What's wrong with him?"

Chris turned abruptly to Cobalt, before slapping his forehead in exasperation. While the entire stratagem was being discussed, Cobalt had fallen fast asleep and was now snoozing peacefully on the rock floor.  
"Ugh, not again." Chris grumbled. Turning to Katelyn, Mei-Lin and Octavio, he motioned them to go on ahead, while struggling to pick up the snoring inkling from the floor.  
"Does that happen often?" Octavio remarked as he wandered ahead alongside Katelyn and Mei-Lin, the former two stopping to pick up the headsets on the floor. "Falling asleep from all that exposition?"  
"Apparently he relishes in it." Katelyn laughed. "Poor Chris, he has to put up with it the most."  
Eventually, the group stopped next to a massive kettle imbedded onto the ground. DJ Octavio jumped right in, with Katelyn and Mei-Lin turning into squid forms and hopping straight in after him. A few moments later, Chris grunted with effort as he dragged Cobalt's sleeping body along, before unceremoniously tossing him straight into the kettle while he followed suit, the kettle clanging loudly as the limp body impacted the sides, with an extra loud 'CRASH' as Cobalt landed on the bottom.

"Oh, is it over?" Cobalt's voice emanated from the kettle. "Thank goodness!"

* * *

 **AN: Hmm. I feel like this chapter and last chapter did lay a bit heavy on the exposition. I am trying to accommodate other readers on the serious offchance they haven't played the Singleplayer campaign for whatever reason, so maybe I've been using a lot more words than really necessary. That's a problem I realize Hideo Kojima had with his Metal Gear series and I don't think the man himself actually noticed just yet.  
Regardless of such, I seriously appreciate the support that you guys have been giving me so far (well, the two of you giving frequent reviews at least), but it does never hurt to try and find a few faults here and there. Nitpick if you want, even mistakes in the little details mean a lot.**


	23. The Descent

**The Descent**

* * *

Mei-Lin scribbled excitedly on her sketchbook, taking in the sights around her. Just like her companions, she was astounded at what they found under the kettle, DJ Octavio besides them chuckling with amusement.

While Octo Valley looked interesting from the outside, the domes that were buried within were even more of a sight to behold. Large enough to contain at least four city blocks, the steel-lined walls were covered with facades of a blue sky, alongside a massive light source welded into the ceiling acting similarly to a miniature sun. All around, much like the structures from above, various landmasses lay suspended in midair with seemingly no supports, a collection of fragmented streets and floating skyscrapers filling the space. There was even a winding train track that snaked through the entire dome, with a train chugging along the tracks even despite the laws of gravity, adhering onto the tracks upside-down in various places.

"Wow…" Mei-Lin breathed, frantically sketching the scenery before her. "In all my life, I've never seen such sights…"  
"You and me both." Cobalt agreed, "This is all rather radically different from Inkopolis, I kinda like it!"  
"Gahaha! I did say it was cool as heck!" Octavio boasted, moving along a path. "Follow me, I've told my troops to park my ride just up ahead, we'll be able to get to the breach that way."

Looking down the ledge nearby as they walked, Cobalt looked around curiously at the view, eventually noticing a particularly large landmass a few kilometers wide. His eyes widened when he noticed various inklings in the far distance dressed in the Agent garb they saw earlier, battling what appear to be giant severed tentacles with eyes and a mouth. Mesmerized, he stopped in his tracks to witness the battle before him.  
"Hey Cobalt, what's the holdup? " Katelyn began, before noticing what he was watching. Realizing that two of his escorts have stopped in their tracks, Octavio turned back to remind them of their task, before also noticing what they've been watching.  
"Yeah, that's the action I've talked about earlier." Octavio said, motioning them to follow. "Strange sight, I know. We'll be passing by them in a moment's notice, just keep going."

The path swiftly terminated onto a set of floating metallic platforms. DJ Octavio moved onto it with our heroes following suit, before the platform began drifting towards the giant landmass seemingly without any form of propulsion. Soon, the platform parked itself close to the island, and the group leapt off onto the landmass itself.

A couple of the sentient tentacles immediately noticed the unfamiliar presence among them, and hurriedly turned towards the Agents that were still shooting ink at their direction. "CIVILIANS! Hold your fire!" One of them cried, and the sound of gunfire ceased almost instantly.  
Chris immediately looked around with an awkward look on his face. "Oh. I don't suppose we're interrupting anything, are we?"  
"Not really!" One of the Agents shouted back from behind a short brick wall. "Agent 1 and 2 told us already there was going to be a couple of non-agents passing through this area. Move along as soon as you can though, my trigger finger's feeling itchy."

Katelyn looked curiously at the collection of sentient tentacles before her, all talking amongst themselves now that the battle was temporarily on hold. Presumably those were the Octarians Octavio mentioned earlier, but it was surprising to her that there were so many different variations of one race. There were some simply composed of only one or two tentacles riding on what appear to be hover carts, some with only one eye and excessively round, there were even ones that look less like traditional octopi and more like giant misshapen birds with giant tentacles for wings being carried along by tiny propellers.

Eventually the nearest Octarian out of all of them, which was a small sentient tentacle being held aloft by a small metal cap with propellers, finally noticed Katelyn ogling at them and looked back with a puzzled stare.  
"…what's with the look?" he asked, turning to the inkling, "Never seen an Octocopter before?"  
"Oh, sorry." Katelyn replied, slightly embarrassed. "I've never seen Octarians before in general, actually. I thought every Octarian would resemble Octavio or something, but to think there's such a major difference among everyone here…"

"Well ya better get used to it, that's just how Octarians roll." Octavio interjected, walking up to the Octocopter. "But besides that… Is my ride ready?"  
"It's parked just south of here, sir." The Octocopter replied, "Oh and um…."  
"What is it? Spit it out, Jerry."  
"We did as you asked, and contacted Eliza on the situation. But…" The Octocopter named Jerry looked around while a nervous expression began to show on his face. "Sir… do we really have to ask HER of all people? It's just that…"  
"I wouldn't have asked her if I had the choice, ya know." Octavio groaned, "But she's the only Octoling available on hand right now. My tentacles are tied."  
"Well, you're the boss."

Chris listened to the conversation between Octavio and the Octotrooper, puzzled at who or what the two could possibly be referring to. Eventually assuming that Octavio would likely give an explanation later, he simply shrugged.  
"So anyhow…" Jerry said, turning to the group of inklings before him. "I'll lead the way. Octavio's vehicle isn't that far, but seeing as you guys are new to Octo Valley…"  
"We'll take up on your offer then." Mei-Lin nodded, fidgeting as she edged away from the puddles of ink all over the floor. "Let's go." With that said, Jerry flew ahead as our heroes along with Octavio followed, and shortly after the sound of battle restarted behind them, flecks of ink flying in every direction.

"You guys seem very fond of fighting." Cobalt remarked, looking at Jerry. "Has it always been like this for you guys?"  
"As far as I remember since Octavio's been the head honcho, yeah." Jerry replied, "Could be even longer, Octarians existed ever since written history, so I heard."  
"Hmm. I do like fighting a lot as well. I've been an avid Turf War enthusiast before the whole….thing with Splatfests happened. It's pretty much why I'm here."  
"Just like most of the Agents here, huh?" Jerry chuckled, "Funny that you're not part of them, you seem like the sort that would be back there fighting us."  
Cobalt simply shrugged from that remark. "Eh, I suck at following orders. I don't like being told what to do, instead I just go with whatever floats my boat."  
"Huh, kinda like some of my colleges."

"Alright, here we are!" Octavio exclaimed, as the group stopped near what appears to be a giant spherical DJ booth. "I can take it from here, you best get back to your duties, Jerry. It sounds like we're being thrashed back there."  
"Right away, sir!" the Octocopter replied, before speeding off back the way they came from.  
"So…" Katelyn said, looking around. "I don't see any kind of vehicle. Where is it?"  
"Oh, it's right here! Behold!" the aged octopus said, spreading his tentacles wide as he gestured towards the DJ booth. "My pride and joy! We'll be taking this to the breach!"  
"That?" Katelyn asked, looking perplexingly at Octavio. "Is that even a vehicle? It doesn't look very…mobile."  
DJ Octavio climbed onto the DJ Booth, before looking at Katelyn. "Oh, don't let its freshness fool ya, it's a vehicle by all rights! Now…"

Octavio began to twiddle with a few dials and started pressing a couple of random buttons on the booth, before finally turning one last dial. To the team's surprise, the DJ booth began to lift off from the ground, propelled by a jet of green flame spurting out of the bottom. Turning towards the inklings, the booth then extended a pair of giant iron fists from the sides, before one thrusted an open palm at them. From atop the unusual vehicle, Octavio motioned them to hop on.  
"Well, whaddya waitin' for? We ain't got all day!" He said.  
With some trepidation, the group got on to the metallic arm, before the hand withdrew back onto the unusual vehicle. A few seconds passed as the inklings clambered into the flying booth one-by-one, finding something to hold on to once they got on.  
"To think I'll end up riding in a flying DJ booth. Dad'll never believe me." Chris laughed, shaking his head. "Never a dull moment, eh guys?"  
"Oh, it's about to get better!" Octavio cried, hammering a few buttons. "Strap in boys and girls, we're going DOWN!"  
"Huh? Wait wha-"

Before Chris could reply, Octavio's vehicle flew straight up into the air, before abruptly turning around in midair and plummeting down into the abyss, flying into a tunnel at the very bottom of the dome. The inklings hung on for dear life, all of them trying hard not to be flung off from the breakneck speed.

* * *

"So, squiddos!" Octavio asked cheerily, turning briefly to his passengers. "Whaddya think of Octo Valley so far?"  
"I'll get back to you on that. Once I…*urp*… stop seeing three of you…" Katelyn groaned, looking a bit off color than usual, much like the other inklings barely able to hang on to the vehicle. Even the normally boisterous Cobalt has a cross-eyed expression while being pinned to the back by the velocity, and Mei-Lin has outright passed out, with a dizzy Chris holding on to her by the waist. Around them, rock formations and the occasional slab of metal flew by at ludicrously fast speeds.  
"Oh for... alright then, I'll take it down a notch." Octavio grumbled, twiddling a button, the DJ booth levelling and slowing down to a gentle descent. "Where's your sense of fun?"

No longer being pinned to the back wall, Cobalt slid down the chrome paneling with an audible squeak, before he got up to look around at their current location. Upon close examination, the objects they were passing by were the remains of a maintenance tunnel, with various bits of limestone and marble lining the ruined structure. The masked inkling also swore that he could hear techno music being played from various distant locations, the different tunes blending together into an incomprehensible mess.

"It's very different from Inkopolis, but it does hold a certain charm." Cobalt said, rubbing the back of his head. "All these structures that don't make sense, all those Octarians, the fact they seem to consider fighting a day-to-day routine and all that…"  
"I agree." Katelyn replied, talking towards half a meter to the left of where Octavio was driving. "I'm particularly interested in those Octarian types, it's always fun to meet new people."  
"Oh you don't know half of it, squiddo!" Octavio said, cackling. "Plenty of Octarian variants out there. There's your standard Octotrooper, there's Octocopters like Jerry, Octoballs, Octosnipers, Octobombers, Octostrikers…"  
"What about Octolings?" Chris asked, letting go of the comatose Mei-Lin and propping her on the wall gently next to him. "You mentioned those talking to Jerry."  
"Ah yes, Octolings. You guys'll like 'em, they're the Octarian equivalent of inklings actually. Cuttlefish's Agents in particular never shut the hell up about them. It probably helps that every last one of the Octolings enlisted in my army are all ravishingly beautiful ladies! Gahaha!"  
"Is… there a particular reason for that?" Katelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Octavio looked around the cavern as he pondered that question, before shrugging. "Hmm, I honestly forgot the reason. Though I vaguely recall a drunken bet I made with Captain Cuttlefish back in the day. I think 'amazonian band of badasses' came up in that conversation somewhere…"

Suddenly, what sounded like a phone chime resounded from Mei-Lin's backpack. Noticing that the owner was still unconscious, Katelyn went to rifle through the bag herself, before pulling out the Agent headsets they bought along earlier, the ringtone coming from a speaker on the side. She briefly checked the side for any buttons to answer the call with, before putting it on.

"Umm, hello? Can you hear us?" Marie's voice came through the speakers.  
"Yeah, we can hear you loud and clear!" Katelyn replied, adjusting her headset for a more comfortable position. "What is it?"  
"Okay good, just making sure the equipment's working." Marie said, "Just gonna make a quick explanation, we'll be able to talk to you guys while you wear these headsets, so keep 'em on while you're down there. If the need arises, there's also a camera feature in case we need to look at something."  
"Seems convenient." Chris said, taking one of the headsets and slipping it over his own ears. "Cobalt, get yours on as well. So…" he said as he tapped the side of the headset. "Is there anything else that we need to know?"  
"Just one…I think." Callie's voice replied, "I think Gramps told us that it sometimes acts oddly around high energy signatures, so when you guys get to the bottom there may be some amount of interference from the power plant."  
"Oh right, we should've mentioned." Marie continued, "Looks like our suspicions are correct, the power plant is SERIOUSLY far into this Sector 0, you guys may need to stick around overnight down there. I do hope you all bought sleeping bags or something."  
"I'm okay, and I think everyone else here's prepared as well." Cobalt remarked, "Though I gotta say none of us expected such a wild ride down here. Mei-Lin's conked out."  
"Wait, that geeky-looking friend of yours is unconscious?!" Callie exclaimed, "Octavio, I did tell you that not all of us like rollercoasters, right? I mean, I like rollercoasters but even I can't stand death plunges!"  
"Oh good grief, don't remind me Callie." Marie groaned, "Just imagining it makes me sick…"  
"Blah blah blah, I already eased up for these lil' hipsters!" Octavio chuckled, "It's not my fault that you guys aren't as hardy as we are, we're used to this sort of thing!"  
"What?! Come here and say that to my face, I dare you!" Callie shouted back.  
"Can't! I'm on a mission here, remember? GAHAHA!"

"Heh. I guess this sort of banter occurs a lot." Cobalt said as the inklings began listening to Octavio arguing with the Squid Sisters.  
"Yeah. I don't really see them as being once sworn enemies though." Katelyn remarked, "This feels more like a casual family argument."  
"I…don't really get it. But okay."

* * *

After a bit of bickering between Octavio and the two popstars, the flying booth finally reached the bottom of the deep shaft, and touched down onto rocky terrain.  
"Ugh…. Let's not do that again. Please." Mei-Lin groaned, still recuperating from being knocked out. Katelyn was besides her trying to support her weight as she walked.  
"Ah, maybe I'll make the trip back up slow once y'all are done with your mission." Octavio replied, but not before adding "maybe" under his breath, looking around with a concealed look of glee.

After a short walk from where they landed, the group abruptly stopped as Octavio froze in his tracks. In front of them, a ludicrous pile of rubble composed of rock and bits of machinery blocked the tunnel ahead of them, a distant rumble permeating the air. Every now and then, the pile emitted bits of dust as the music from above echoed into the tunnel.  
"This is it." Octavio said, turning to the inklings. "This is the breach. Once you guys make it out of there, we'll start the rescue proper. Until then, we and Cuttlefish's Agents will make sure all this doesn't fall on top of ya."

Chris stepped forward to examine the rubble, before noticing that there were four gaps in the rock, each one barely large enough for a small squid to squeeze through. Tapping on the rock a few times, Chris turned back to Octavio. "Hmm, are we doing this alone? Even with the Squid Sisters being our eyes and ears, I can't help but think it might be insufficient."  
"I thought about that." Octavio replied. "I've enlisted the help of one of my Octolings to assist you all. She's good at her job, but…"  
"But what?" Cobalt asked, intrigued. "Shouldn't be a problem, I've had all kinds of teammates in the past."  
"Is that so? Well, if you insist! Eliza, come on out!"

"As you wish, milord." A cool female voice replied. A woman stepped out of the shadows, eyeing the inklings before her. She bore a similar appearance to inklings, aside from four jet black Octarian tentacles protruding from her head tied in place with what looks like seaweed, and a noticeable purple outline underneath her eyes, one of which was covered by an iridescent purple visor. She was dressed in what looks like a form-fitting black leotard and combat boots, complete with a set of steel armor worn over her chest and waist, as well as a singular steel padding over her right arm, which was slinging what appears to be a black and chrome equivalent of a Splatterscope. To top off the strange appearance, one of her head tentacles around the back extended far longer than the others, and was wrapped around her entire body all the way down to her left ankle.

"Just gonna say," Octavio said, turning towards his DJ booth. "I'm REALLY sorry in advance. I'll let Eliza take it from here!" With that, Octavio immediately took off towards his vehicle, and quickly flew off, the whirr of his vehicle quickly disappearing into the distance.

"Huh. Wonder what's bothering him so much." Cobalt said, turning to the Octoling. "Octavio wasn't kidding when he said all the Octolings in his army are beautiful women though. Huh."  
"Spare me your lustful thoughts, inkling." The Octoling named Eliza replied, staring at Cobalt with a look of disdain. "My sexual preferences extend only as far as other Octolings, nothing more."  
Cobalt was taken aback by that remark. "What? I don't even remember trying to flirt with you!"  
"Romance in unnecessary in the battlefield. Your allies are important, but having sentiments towards one above all others will simply act as a hindrance. Keep it quiet, civilian!"  
Cobalt could only stare at the Octoling with a bewildered look that simply says: "Is this person for real?"

"I'll… take it from here." Katelyn interjected, walking up to Eliza. "So… I'm Katelyn, this is Cobalt, Mei-Lin, and Chris. Nice to meet you, Eliza!" Katelyn then proceeded to extend a hand to shake, but Eliza simply looked down at her hand, and back at her without a single word. Katelyn simply withdrew her arm, slightly disappointed.

"So…" Mei-Lin said, looking awkwardly at Katelyn before turning to Eliza. "Why exactly did Octavio ask you to help us?"  
"Octavio personally chose me to escort you inklings, because I am the only Octoling that knows what lies beyond the breach, being the most recent of 94 survivors total that escaped Sector 0. The four of you shall be under my jurisdiction, even if it costs me my life." Eliza replied coldly, turning to meet each inkling in the eye briefly.  
"I see." Chris said, "But um… is it really necessary to be so serious about it? It's just…"  
"Save your breath." Eliza snapped. "Now… you there, the one with the Octoglasses."  
"W-what? Me?" Mei-Lin blustered, pointing to herself.  
"Yes, you. You're coming with me, I can tell from your body language you're the weakest out of the four, therefore I shall personally escort you. Any objections?"  
"Oh…I…" Mei-Lin looked to the ground, a forlorn expression on her face.

"Enough talk, we're wasting time." Eliza walked up to the pile of rubble, with Mei-Lin hesitantly following after her. Moving a few rocks aside, the Octoling revealed four distinctive holes in the rubble far apart from each other, before motioning Mei-Lin to come towards the biggest one of them all. She then proceeded to transform into a miniature octopus, and slipped into the cracks.  
"Well…" Mei-Lin said quietly, turning to the team before looking back at the opening. "I'll be…seeing you all later then." With that, she disappeared into the entryway after the Octoling.

The remaining three inklings stared at where Eliza was earlier, at a complete loss for words. Cobalt was the first to break the silence.  
"UNBELIEVABLE! The nerve of that woman!" Cobalt yelled, "I've had my fair share of obnoxious teammates, but that BITCH takes the cake!"  
"Yeah! She's so freakin' blunt with Mei-Lin too!" Katelyn agreed, equally irate as Cobalt was. "What the hell's the matter with her?!"  
"I agree with you two, that Octoling's a piece of work." Chris grumbled, "But she's right about one thing, we're wasting our time standing around like this. Let's go."

The team stepped forward, but then without warning the rubble began to tremble, not before the tunnel entrance that Mei-Lin and Eliza entered collapsed in on itself. The three stared at the sight, a feeling of dread hanging in the air.  
"Well, that would explain why we were supposed to split up." Chris remarked. "Looks like we're going to have to go our separate ways, like it or not."  
"I suppose you're right." Katelyn said, walking towards one of the entrances. "But…how are we supposed to get out then?"  
"I'm sure those guys back there oughta work it out somehow." Cobalt said, "See ya on the other side then." With that, he turned into a squid and hopped into an entrance, the rubble sealing up the pathway behind him.  
Katelyn briefly looked towards where Cobalt disappeared, before stepping up to the remaining two entryways. With a sigh, she turned into a squid as well and vanished into the pathway, a slab of metal falling onto the entrance.  
"That's it then, huh?" Chris said to himself. "Well… wish me luck."

With that said, Chris entered the remaining crack in the wall, and the entryway sealed itself shut. Not long afterwards, the tunnel shook even more, and a large pile of debris fell from the ceiling, utterly blocking all means of leaving, an eerie silence thick in the air.

* * *

 **AN: If this seemed like it took longer than usual, I apologize. IRL stuff came up, and I had to take the time to recover. But here we are!  
So I got another question to ask you readers. Would you say that some characters get less screen time than the others even when they're supposed to be in the spotlight? I get this nagging feeling that Chris might not be characterized enough...  
**


	24. Vacant Bulwark

**Vacant Bulwark**

* * *

Cobalt was flying. The wind blew past his ears with a loud 'hiss', and the scenery flashed past his peripheral vision in the blink of an eye.  
At least, that was a generous euphemism. A more apt description would be Cobalt plummeting down a long and dark shaft at near terminal velocity, as the unfortunate inkling was desperately flailing his arms in the air in a futile attempt to stabilize himself. Where the shaft led to was unknown, the bottom completely obscured by blackness.

"Out of all the pathways I could've chosen, I choose the one that leads to a deadly drop. Seriously?" Cobalt thought to himself, that was a rough interpretation of his current thought process. Another interpretation would be "AAAAAAAAAAHHH".

A tone resounded in Cobalt's headset. Trying hard to stop one of his arms from flailing, he tapped a button on the side, and picked up the call.  
"Yo, Agent 1 here!" Callie's voice said, "You're…Cobalt, right? Your signal's moving REALLY quick back here! Is everything fine over there?"  
"If by 'fine' you mean 'falling down a ridiculously large drop', then yeah!" Cobalt replied sarcastically. "I don't suppose this headset comes packed with a parachute?"  
"WHAT?! At that height and speed a drop like that's going to splat you! Shoot, lemme think, lemme think…"

As precious seconds ticked past, Cobalt fell past an outlet pipe embedded into the rock. The pipe itself was fractured by a considerable force, and a steady stream of fuchsia ink was flowing out of the leakage, pouring onto a long column of metallic paneling riveted onto the rock face. Spotting this, Cobalt began to comically breaststroke towards it in the air, trying to reach it.  
"Woah, what are you doing?!" Callie exclaimed from the other end, "Are you trying to get yourself splatted even faster?!"  
"Nah, I just had an idea. Trust me, this oughta work!" Cobalt replied. Reaching the stained paneling, he immediately plunged his right hand into the ink.

A searing pain immediately erupted all the way up Cobalt's entire arm, as the corrosion caused by the mismatched color coupled together with the sudden deceleration from the ink's adhesive properties. The masked inkling immediately cried out in agony, but he didn't stop there and plunged his legs into the ink as well, rapidly slowing his descent. Coming to a complete stop, he quickly pulled out one of his guns with his free hand and painted the wall with his own blue ink before the substance ate his other limbs away, turning into a squid and sinking into the liquid.  
"Agh…! I'm never doing that again…" he thought to himself, before the pain caused him to fall unconscious as he fell from the wall. Fortunately he only fell another 4 meters before the shaft opened up into a massive cavern, with Cobalt successfully falling onto a respawn pad suspended in midair shortly afterwards, reverting back into normal in the process.

A shadow from the far distance stared as Cobalt's body fell from the ceiling, its eyes narrowing before it slunk off around a corner and disappeared from sight, the sound of a hovercraft barely audible in the giant cavern.

* * *

"…balt! …Coba…et up…"  
"Urgh…" Cobalt groaned, "No, Chris. Five more minutes please…."  
"WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD! I can hear you breathing through the receiver!" Callie's voice rang through his headset, causing him to jump from his lying position upright.

"Alright, alright, I'm up! Jeez, there's no need to yell!" Cobalt grumbled, stretching his body. "See? I told you that it'd work!"  
"By almost ripping your arms and legs off?! You're lucky inkling regeneration's a thing, or you're screwed!" There was a shuffling noise followed by the sound of loud inhaling as Callie turned away from the microphone to take in a deep breath, before turning back. "Anyhow… where in the name of the gods are you? It is pitch black down there!"

Cobalt walked up to a nearby railing close to the respawn pad, and squinted his eyes as he peered towards the far distance. True to Callie's observation, what wasn't illuminated by the soft glow emanating from the respawn pad was completely shrouded in darkness. All Cobalt could barely make out was the contours of what appears to be a giant fortress in the far distance, but he cannot make out any further details.  
"I can answer that question, inkling." A familiar voice said through the receiver. Cobalt frowned underneath his mask as he recognized it as that Octoling from earlier that proved to be quite the drama queen.  
"What the?! Who are you and how did you hijack this signal?!" Callie spluttered.  
"Commandant Eliza, leader of the Blue-Ringed Menace squadron, serial number E-115A, at your service." Eliza replied emotionlessly. "If Lord Octavio can hijack your signal so easily, this is child's play to me."  
"Oh good grief… she's at it again, isn't she?" Cobalt could hear Octavio say from the background.  
"Woah. Octavio? How'd you get back here so quick?"  
"I ran." Octavio simply replied, before the sound of shuffling tentacles indicated he wasn't about to inquire on the details anytime soon.

"The building before you used to be part of a larger military complex." Eliza clarified. "Built in response to the construction of Smokestack, it was meant to utilize much of the generated power to its full potential. Weapons construction, training facilities, soldier barracks, resource mining and so on, it was designed to host over a hundred thousand Octarian units, and-"  
"BORED!" Cobalt interrupted. "Get to the point, how am I going to get to the cross from here?"  
"Hmph, if you were under my division I would've made you clean the latrines for that insolence." Eliza harrumphed. "The proximity of this ruined structure to the power plant means you only have to reach the access duct via the weapons testing chamber. To get there as efficiently as possible, you'll need to pass through the barracks, accessible from outside near your current location. Normally there would be a stairway that leads up to the entrance, but the structural collapse has destroyed it."  
"Well, I can work out the rest from here. Thanks for the info." Cobalt said. Before Eliza and by extension Callie could reply, he immediately terminated the call, and ran into the darkness.

* * *

After traversing a series of walkways, the masked inkling successfully reached the fortress itself. It was even shabbier in appearance up close, with the stairway in question crumbled into a messy heap in front of him, large chunks of the wall lined with fractures, as well as entire sections of wall missing and its pieces built up into a messy heap in random locations. The entire fortress looked to even be leaning ever so slightly to the side as well, part of the structure sunken into the ground in a lopsided angle.  
It wasn't particularly easy getting to the fortress. While the respawn pad platform graciously had railings, the path that led to the building itself not only lacked the safety railings but was also cloaked in darkness. Cobalt counted at least 6 times where he almost lost balance near the edge of the precariously suspended pathway while groping around in the dark, and one time in which he outright fell into a large underground lake. After being rebuilt by the respawn pad, Callie finally remembered a flashlight feature that was built in to the headset, which Cobalt was somewhat convinced she conveniently forgot to mention from being rudely cut off. There weren't any accidents afterwards.

"Well… I'm here now." Cobalt mumbled, shining the light on his headset upwards and examining the building. "Eliza's right, the stairway's out."  
"Looks like you'll be swimming up the wall then." Callie's voice replied, "You know what to do, right?"  
"That's correct." Withdrawing one of his weapons, Cobalt shot a steady stream of dark blue ink towards the wall. Upon impact, the ink surprisingly flowed off the surface unusually fast, refusing to adhere onto it. A few more attempts later, Cobalt holstered his weapon, slapping his forehead in the process.  
"Inkproof concrete? That's a first." Callie remarked. "Well. I'm outta ideas."  
"Ugggh… guess we're doing this the old fashioned way then." Cobalt grumbled. Spotting a metal rod jutting out nearby, the masked inkling proceeded to jump and grab hold of it, pulling himself up and onto a thin ledge, before shimmying along the ledge and grabbing hold of fragments that were sticking out of the wall, climbing up even higher. Slowly but surely, Cobalt began to make his way up the steep and fractured wall of the fortress.

After what felt like hours of arduous climbing, Cobalt finally reached the very top of the broken stairwell, where he proceeded to keel over onto the floor, hyperventilating as he tried to rest. His entire body was pockmarked with bruises and scratches from the many times he had scraped himself along the broken masonry during the climb.  
"How come… I'm the one… that has to do all the hard work?!" He panted as he tried to lift himself from the floor, arms quivering with effort. "I swear, if Chris and the others are getting a gentle stroll to this power plant, I'm going to be SO mad…"  
"Lemme go check on the others for a bit…" Callie said. There was the sound of shuffling chairs along with some background chatter, before Callie returned to the microphone. "Oh… Um… How should I say this…"  
"OH COME ON! You can't be serious!" Cobalt's arms gave way completely, and slumped onto the floor with an almost comical crash.  
"Callie, maybe you shouldn't have told him." Marie's voice said, barely audible in the background.  
"I didn't say anything!" Callie protested.

A few minutes of barely comprehensible swear words and grumbling later, Cobalt dragged himself from the floor, and sat down next to a window that looked like it had seen better days. With a sigh, he withdrew a sandwich which he packed for dinner from his backpack, and looked around briefly before he lifted his mask to chew on the snack. His face was completely obscured in the pitch black darkness.

The inkling looked around the area as he swallowed another mouthful. From high up, he could see very far into the cavern he ended up in, though there was nothing in particular that caught his attention aside from the heavily corroded remains of what he presumed was the dome the fortress used to be in all the way in the far distance. It was also a bit too quiet for his taste, the only sound being the distant howling of air emanating from the shattered window next to him.  
Finishing his sandwich, he replaced the mask onto his face before letting out a sigh. All this silence was proving to be exceedingly dull.

"Is it really necessary for you to be wearing that mask all the time?" Cobalt could hear Callie ask through the headset. "I mean, it seems a bit hard to be both wearing a gas mask and an Agent headset at the same time."  
"The mask stays on." He replied, "It's stuck with me through thick and thin, I'm not getting rid of it. The Turf War equipment I'm wearing is about as optimal as it gets."  
"Huh, are you a Turf War enthusiast?" Callie asked.  
"More than that, it's more or less my job. It's literally my only source of income. After that whole deal with the Splatfest being cancelled though…" He sighed, "Life was rough, man."  
"I see… well that makes three of us, I suppose. Me and Marie, we couldn't get any alternative work when no one came to Turf Wars altogether. I love being able to sneak out of the studio with Marie and blending in with the crowd to play some Turf Wars ourselves, but without it... well, I get the feeling I might not be able to sing if I wanted to. It's only this whole Agent program we're doing that keeps us going until this whole incident all blows over."  
"Hum." Cobalt shrugged, turning to the window. "I'm surprised the two of you of all people couldn't be motivated to do anything about it either. Seems like there was plenty of reason to do something about it."  
"I dunno. It's just… this empty feeling me and Marie seem to be sharing. We barely have enough energy left to get up and tend to Gramps or go out to eat, let alone actually doing something about it. I mean, at the end of the day, we're still two inklings, I guess…*sigh*"  
Cobalt couldn't help but chuckle to himself. To think the two newscasters he often saw while passing by the TV screen were just as helpless as the team was when they started their journey, it was strangely humbling.

With a hint of caution, Cobalt climbed into the open window, taking care not to nick himself on the broken glass in the edges. The moment he set foot into the darkened corridor on the other side however, a harsh klaxon suddenly sounded as red flashing lights lit up along the side of the entire corridor.  
"Uh oh." He said, pulling out his weapons. "Not good."

The masked inkling stood tense as the alarm echoed down the corridor, presumably all over the fortress. Standing stock still, his eyes darted to either end of the long corridor, expecting a hunter-killer squad of Octarians to come charging down one of them soon enough.

He waited…and waited… a slight twitch in his trigger finger betrayed the feeling of nervousness that was in him that very moment. Sooner or later, reinforcements will arrive, and he'll likely have to fight through them.

But eventually five minutes have passed, and the alarm was still blaring. The corridors were still devoid of any Octarian forces Cobalt had expected.  
"Nothing's coming…" Callie remarked, "Do you think…"  
"Well, on the upside, at least I can see where I'm going." Cobalt said, holstering his guns. With the red light illuminating his path, he began making his way through what remained of the barracks.

* * *

"Ugh, finally. The alarm's stopped." Cobalt grumbled, as the klaxon in the far distance finally became quiet.

Considering the fact he was technically infiltrating a hostile Octarian base, the masked inkling was having a very uneventful experience. By now he's passed by room after room of empty sleeping quarters, either with the doorway caved in or huge piles of rubble where the bedroom should've been. The ones that weren't buried under collapsed masonry looked to be in sorry condition, with the mattresses rotting and the covers worn and threadbare, and the light fixtures either broken or burnt out. It was evident there wasn't anyone using the barracks in a long time.

Cobalt stifled a yawn. By now his eyelids were starting to feel a little heavy, undoubtedly he's worn himself out from the climb, but a quick glance at his watch informed him that it was close to midnight.  
"Hey Cobalt, you might as well just pick a random bed and get some shut-eye. You've earned it." Callie said through the radio. "I'll be…*yawn*…retiring too, sitting in front of a microphone all day is friggin' dull. See ya."  
"Yeah… I suppose I might as well-"

Cobalt froze. There were voices coming down the corridor, and they seemed to be getting closer. Whirling around, he realized there's only one bedroom that's close by that wasn't blocked. Without thinking, he quickly barged through the door, hurriedly closing it behind him as silently as he could, before turning into a squid and slithering underneath one of the nearby beds. Pausing with bated breath, he waited…

The door opened, and the lights turned on. From his position, Cobalt could barely see two sets of boots walk across the floor, one of the beings still talking. Inching closer, Cobalt tried to eavesdrop on the conversation…

"…goodness that blasted alarm's stopped ringing. Whaddya reckon's tripped it?"  
"Probably a malfunction. With everything falling apart down here, I won't be surprised."  
"Eh, probably. Well…" Cobalt could hear the steel frame above him squeak as someone sat down on top of it. "If you need me, I'll be lying down over here. You go do…whatever it is you're supposed to be doing."  
"TAI! You can't just… ugh, why do I even bother. You're the only other Octoling that's down here besides me, and there's no way in hell Octavio's coming to our rescue anytime soon! You're going to have to help me and the others gather supplies and reinforce this place if you want to live to snooze another day!"  
"Ah, just leave it to Heather. I mean, that Octotrooper seems like a better candidate than I am."  
"That one that's part of the…what's their name again… the Under-Sea-Dogs? I don't care, we're the only two with working arms down here! Get up already or I'll-"  
Cobalt could hear snoring coming from above his head. Whoever that Octoling was that sat down onto the bed seems to have fallen asleep almost instantly.  
"Oh why do I even bother with you…" With that said, one of the Octolings in the room stormed out in a hissy fit.

Cobalt glanced towards the bed above him. The other Octoling sounded like she was fast asleep, it might be entirely probable for him to sneak out of the door and find another relatively intact bedroom that's unoccupied if he could crawl out and leave without making any noise.  
The masked inkling groaned internally. Stealth was not one of his stronger suits.

As quietly as he could, Cobalt slowly slithered out from underneath the bed, putting himself as much distance as possible from the snoozing Octoling before transforming back into normal. Creeping as close to the doorway as possible, his hand reached for the doorknob…

"C'mon… just a little further…" he thought to himself.

His foot unintentionally scraped past a small piece of rock. The scratching sound it made seemed amplified by a hundred times to the masked inkling.

"I'm sure she didn't hear that. I'll just go ahead and-"

"What the, what's an inkling doing down here?"

"Nuts."

Cobalt turned around abruptly. The Octoling that was snoozing earlier was now awake and staring right at him. Instinctively, Cobalt withdrew both of his guns and pointed them straight at the Octoling, who did the same with what looks to be a black and chrome variant of the standard Splattershot. A few tense seconds passed by as the two stared at each other with their weapons drawn.  
"…eh. Can't be bothered." The Octoling said. To Cobalt's bewilderment, she dismissively put her weapon onto a side drawer, and turned away from the inkling while trying to stretch on her bed.  
"What." Cobalt simply said, lowering his own firearms as well. "Nothing? Seriously?"  
"Whatever, inkling, I'm not in the mood for a fight. Just go harass Aussie or something, I want some shuteye if you don't mind."

Cobalt stared at the unusually lethargic Octoling with a look of disbelief, before silently making his way to the door. Before he did however, a thought crossed his mind. Turning back, he laid down onto the bunk bed opposite to the Octoling that was now looking at him with a perplexed expression.  
"You're not leaving." She said. "Unless… you wanna play dirty and splat me while I'm snoozing?"  
"Look, I'm not here for a fight." Cobalt replied. "I…*yawn*…just need somewhere to sleep right now. Long story."  
The Octoling raised an eyebrow. "Any reason why you decided to snooze it up down here in this stinkhole of a base rather than that decadent city you guys like to party up in?"

Cobalt looked around the room for a bit, before answering. "I kinda have to be down here, at least for a day. Don't suppose I can sleep now?"  
"No." The Octoling was no longer lying down, but she's gotten up and sitting on the bed. "If you're going to be my bunk-buddy, at the very least tell me your name and why you have to so desperately share a room with lil' ol' me."  
The masked inkling rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Cobalt. The name's Cobalt."  
"Tai. Tai Inaba. So about that reason…"

Cobalt then spent the next few minutes explaining to the Octoling the events that had led him to where he was now, trying as hard as he could to summarize it into as little sentences as possible. It was difficult explaining the circumstances with his fatigue screaming at him to take a rest.  
"…so after being separated from my friends, I'm down here. Not that much to talk about, basically." Cobalt concluded.  
"Mmhmm." Tai dismissively hummed. "I kinda stopped listening after the third sentence. So why exactly are you sleeping here instead of the other rooms around here?  
Cobalt tapped his head. "I'm lost. I was thinking that I could maybe ask for directions since you don't seem particularly hostile. So…"  
"Okay."  
The masked inkling was surprised. "That was quick. Not even going to bargain for anything?"

Tai waved her hand dismissively. "Nah, I heard enough. We'll talk more tomorrow… right now I just feel like taking some shuteye." With that being said, the Octoling laid back down onto the bed and fell asleep practically instantaneously.  
"Well, that could've gone a lot worse." Cobalt thought to himself, reaching to turn off the lights before lying down onto the bed. As he drifted to sleep, a thought barely floated past his mind.  
"Wonder how the others are doing…"

* * *

 **AN: Whew, I'm surprised that took a lot more effort to write than usual. You'd think the group being separated would reduce the word count, but no.  
Still, I'm wondering if this format of the camera following one of the main characters specifically is being done right. Any thoughts?**


	25. Sunset Boulevard

**Sunset Boulevard**

* * *

Katelyn coughed, as her movements disturbed another pile of dust. Shrugging off the coughing fit, she stretched her arms as far as she could to pull herself along from her crawling position.

The pathway this inkling chose had led her into a mostly darkened ventilation system, which judging by the abundance of dust bunnies and cobwebs and most notably the abundance of stale air hasn't been active in a long time. She was mostly blind inside the maze of vents, only the soft glow from rips and fissures lining the steel paneling lit her path.  
Crawling nearby a fan that has long since ceased moving, Katelyn stopped to take a breath. Despite the broken fan, a trickle of fresh air indicated there was at the very least a part of the ventilation system that still worked.

The inkling fumbled with her headset, eventually finding the call button and began to speak. Her voice was weak from the lack of oxygen.  
"H-Hello? Is there anyone there?" She asked, before coughing again from the dust particles.  
There was a crackle in her headset, before a familiar voice replied. "Agent 2 here. How can I help?"  
Katelyn sighed. "Oh thank goodness. I think I've gotten lost in this ventilation system, I don't suppose you can help out over there?"  
"I'm not sure. We don't have any diagrams of the ventilation system in Octo Valley, let alone this Sector 0. Maybe I could ask Octavio once he gets back here, but until then my tentacles are tied."  
"Is that so…?" Katelyn replied, coughing. "That's…not good."

"Giving up so soon? You inklings are more unprepared than I thought." Another familiar voice spoke through her headset.  
"What in the...?" Marie spluttered, "How come we keep getting uninvited guests in our transmissions?!"  
"Oh hey, Eliza! I didn't expect to hear from you again so soon!" Katelyn said. Her smile however diminished somewhat as she recalled the Octoling's rashness towards Mei-Lin.  
"Eliza? I'm…kind of in the dark here." Marie sounded somewhat skeptical at Katelyn's response. "Who is this?"  
"She's some Octoling that Octavio asked to help us. Apparently she knows Sector 0 from top to bottom… I think." Katelyn clarified. "Though I'd say she's a bit difficult to work with…"  
"So I noticed… But never mind that for now. Eliza, what have you got to share?"

"I'll get straight to the point." Eliza replied sternly. "Katelyn, send me your camera feed, I'll direct you out of the vents."  
"If you say so…" Katelyn began twiddling with one of the buttons on the side of her headset, eventually switching on the camera.  
"Katelyn, are you sure you want to trust this Octoling?" Marie asked, "I mean…"  
"Lord Octavio entrusted me this task of guiding these inklings to their destination. I may not like it, but I have to do as he says, no matter what. You have no reason to doubt me." Eliza retorted, "Sit back, Agent 2. You shall witness how a proper navigator is supposed to operate."  
While Katelyn couldn't really see what was occurring on the other side of the transmission, it wasn't hard to imagine what accompanied the ensuing groans of exasperation. With a resigned sigh, Katelyn began to wander through the maze of vents, with Eliza guiding her towards the right path.

As she rounded another corner, Katelyn began to stagger as she started to feel weakened. Even with Eliza giving her directions, her stay in the claustrophobic vents took longer than they had all expected, and by this point the stale air was starting to take effect.

"Can't… breathe…" She choked, a shaking hand rubbing her neck. "Eliza…hurry…!"

"Hmm…" Eliza mused, "It seems like the air quality down there's gotten worse than I had thought. No matter, there should be an access hatch just ahead of you, bust that open and you're out of there."  
"O…okay…*cough*" Barely able to keep her balance, Katelyn began to slowly trudge towards the passageway ahead of her.

Looking ahead into the darkness, Katelyn could barely spot what appears to be a door embedded into the side of the vent, while the ceiling seemed to slowly rise in gradient before her. No longer having to crawl, Katelyn tried to get up onto her feet and make a run for the exit. Unfortunately for her, she immediately stumbled on the spot, falling onto the side of the vents with a loud *clang*.

"No…" Katelyn wheezed, her lungs starving for oxygen. "Must…endure…"

Leaning onto the wall for support, she weakly began to walk towards the exit hatch. Her feet felt like it was being weighed down by lead boots, each step taking more effort and more painful than the last.

Katelyn's vision was starting to swim. She could practically feel herself slowly losing consciousness by the second.  
"A bit…further…"

"Don't speak, Katelyn!" Marie's nervous voice blared through her headset. It sounded to the inkling like it was being muffled by a pillow. "Save your breath, just focus on getting outta there!"  
Katelyn simply nodded. It was not like she has much strength for another word anyway.

Reaching the access hatch, Katelyn stopped leaning onto the wall for support, but immediately afterwards fell down onto the floor in front of it. Her hands struggling with effort, she pulled herself up onto the doorway, her fingers gripping onto a valve embedded onto the center.

With the last of her strength, Katelyn pulled on the valve as hard as her arms could muster. The door creaked open, but stopped only just a few millimeters in its turning circle as a harsh screech screamed down the vent and deafened the inkling's ears. Regardless of such however, Katelyn could feel air flowing from the edges of the doorway.

"Dammit, it must've been rusted shut!" Marie sounded even more panicked than before. "Katelyn, think of something, anything! Blow that blasted thing open if you have to!"

"Blow it…open…?" Katelyn's eyes shot open as she realized she did have the capabilities to do so. Blackness swimming around her vision, she deployed an Ink Mine just right in front of the doorway, and braced herself as the ink-based explosive ticked down on a set timer, flashed and detonated. While the ink didn't do anything to the rusted door, the kinetic force of the explosion was enough to force the door open an inch wider, and a soft yellowish light shone into the vent accompanied by a welcoming burst of fresh air.

Invigorated by the sight as well as the sudden flow of oxygen into her system, Katelyn gritted her teeth and charged into the door head-on with a shoulder tackle. Undoubtedly with the rust shaken off by the explosion, the door swung open without much resistance as she collided with it, and the inkling was stopped short by a guardrail situated on the balcony at the other side of the door.

"Woah, woah, woah…! Careful now…" Katelyn backed away from the dizzying drop just beyond, before her legs gave way and she fell back onto a rocky wall, letting out a sigh of relief.  
"Oh thank goodness. You almost gave me a heart attack." Marie sighed as well. "You would not believe how worrisome it was to be all the way over here and not be able to do anything about it."  
Just as relieved as the popstar was, Katelyn decided to take a rest on the spot, sitting down as she took in as many deep breaths as she could muster.

* * *

A few minutes later, Katelyn pulled herself up from the floor, letting out an exhausted sigh.  
"So…how are you feeling?" Marie's voice replied, "Still frazzled by what happened back there?"  
"Well it's not often you almost suffocate in a ventilation system." Katelyn groaned, "I suppose I-" She stopped mid-sentence as she looked up beyond the guardrail in front of her, and was promptly bewitched by what was located beyond. Walking up to the guardrail, she looked around at the sight that lay before her.

"Woah… Marie, are you seeing this?"  
"Yeah… now THIS here I most certainly did not expect."

Down below where the balcony was situated, laid an entire complex of shanty houses. Built in a massive spiral pattern, the corrugated roofs and the partially rusted walls of the houses were packed tightly together and wound slowly down towards the very center, where a giant bulb has fallen from the ceiling of the remains of what looked to be another dome, the wire still attached to it. Strangely, the giant light source still worked if barely, with a soft yellowish glow illuminating the entire complex. Coupled with the remains of a sky diorama lining the walls of the dome, it gave the entire place the tranquil atmosphere of a setting sun.  
As Katelyn looked closer, she could even spot a small dirt road that lay to the side of the shanty houses that wound down all the way to the center, and remarkably there were even Octarians of various types idly strolling on it, presumably on their daily rounds. Even from her location, she could hear the nonchalant banter occurring between them.

"It seems like you found the civilian district." Eliza interrupted, snapping Katelyn out of her trance.  
"Civilian district?" Katelyn repeated, looking down at the complex below. "That?"  
"Yes. Not every Octarian is able to fight, so this place is built to house those that are either too young to fight or have long since retired from either old age or crippling injuries. This location used to be contained in a dome that was far within Octo Valley to ensure that civilians are safe from any possible invaders from above, but unfortunately the earthquake that occurred when Smokestack became active caused this place to become buried down here."  
"Hmm…" Katelyn mused, "I can see why people would come here to retire. This place feels…peaceful."  
"Don't be too certain." Eliza sternly replied. "The Octarians down here may not be fighters, but I'm certain some of the old war veterans would not take lightly of your intrusion. Be on your guard."  
"Eliza, do you have to always be so strict all the time?" Marie cut in. "I can't say being this tense all the time would be good for your skin…"  
"Hmph. I said enough." With that, there was a short beep as Eliza dropped out from the transmission.  
"Well…" Katelyn said as she eyed a ladder nearby that led down onto the dirt road. "Guess I'll be on my way…"

As she began making her descent down onto the civilian district, she failed to notice a shadow watching her from above. With the whoosh of helicopter blades, the shadow flew off, unseen.

* * *

"You know, I feel like asking a question." Katelyn remarked, stopping halfway down the ladder and wrapping an arm around the rungs for support. "What's life like as a famous pop star?"  
"Huh?" Marie's voice replied. "That's a pretty random thing to ask right in the middle of a mission."  
"Aww… come on! It's not every day you have a direct hotline to the Squid Sisters!" Katelyn laughed, "It just seems like a lot of fun, you know. Being up on stage… singing and dancing... having the occasional talk show…"

"Heh, well I don't blame you for imagining it would be fun." Marie chuckled, "But if I'll be entirely honest… pop star life can actually be quite strenuous. Waking up at 7 in the morning, for starters! Any inkling's worst nightmare!"  
"Hahaha! Seven in the morning?! You can't be serious!" Katelyn laughed, "Even I struggle with waking up at ten!"  
"Yeah, it's a real pain in the tentacles. Callie and I adore being singers, but I gotta admit there's a lot of hassle involved. Recording songs, handling merchandise, sifting through the pile of fan mail and getting rid of any ones sent by weirdos- oh good grief THAT task always drives me up the wall. We often had moments where we sneak out of the studio, blend in with the crowd and play some Turf Wars with the others."

Katelyn's eyes widened. "You two play Turf Wars as well?! Omigosh, I really should've played Turf Wars a lot more often, I could've bumped into the two of you!"  
"Oh? You're not a Turf War enthusiast?" Marie asked curiously. "Practically every other inkling I've met played Turf Wars all the time!"  
"Well… I mainly play Turf Wars with my friends just for fun whenever they invite me. Outside of that, I try my best to practice singing and dancing as much as I could." Katelyn blushed slightly, hoping the headset wouldn't pick it up on camera. "I was… um… kinda inspired by the two of you. Mei-Lin once told me that she thinks my dancing is beautiful, though the singing sounded like a seagull being strangled…"  
"Heehee, I suppose just being able to dance is still fine. Though this Mei-Lin friend of yours sounds like a bit of a harsh critic…"

Upon mention of Mei-Lin's name, Katelyn's mischievous smirk dwindled by a fraction. "Oh… Mei-Lin's not much of a harsh critic, but she does have a habit of being rather gloomy at times. Though she's my best friend, I always had to take care of her because she literally cannot take care of herself."  
"Does it ever get too tiresome?"  
"Ehh…not really. She doesn't leave her house too often, but whenever she decides to do so I'm always there to back her up. She's like a precious sister to me, I'll do anything to support her."  
"That sounds very sweet." Marie giggled, "The two of you must've been inseparable."

"Yo Marie!" Katelyn could hear Callie say from the background, "How's Katelyn doing?"  
"She's doing ace, aside from a bit of a bump right at the start." Marie called back. "I'm just having a relaxing chat with her right now. Why'd you ask?"  
"Cobalt was wondering how everyone else was doing, just asking round for him."  
"Hey Callie! If you can hear me, tell Cobalt I said hi!" Katelyn called out cheerily.  
"I'll make sure to pass on the message!" With that, there was the sound of fading footsteps as Callie wandered elsewhere.

"Well, I enjoyed this little chat." Marie finished, "But don't you have a mission to attend to, or something?"  
"…oh, right!" Katelyn laughed to herself as realized she's briefly forgotten about the task at hand. "Sorry, it's just so much fun talking to you! Maybe when this is all over we could play a match or two together!"  
"That sounds like a nice possibility. Well, be on your way now, and good luck!" With that, the radio transmission shut off with an audible click.

With a content sigh, Katelyn resumed her descent downwards towards the path below. However after a few rungs lower, she unknowingly stepped onto a section of ladder that was showing signs of heavy erosion, and as she reached that section the entire ladder began to shudder from her weight.  
"What the-" Katelyn began, but not before the rung she was holding onto with her right hand snapped off from the ladder. The other rungs supporting her also snapped off in quick succession, and before she could properly assess what was happening, Katelyn realized she was in freefall.

"Oh… this is gonna hurt."

* * *

Timmy was a child that rarely saw anything interesting. Then again, life in the civilian district is often rather uneventful. It didn't help either that the adults always seemed on edge, rarely venturing out of their houses. He's asked them why in the past, but never once he had gotten a straight answer. But then, being a tiny Octotrooper child the size of a zapfish, it was hard to be taken seriously whenever he wanted to ask questions.  
Today was a day like any other. The bulb shone brightly as it usually did, and little Timmy was absentmindedly doing small laps around the dirt path, casually trundling along on a pair of rollerskates. It was a rather dull day for him, all the other children seemed to have gone somewhere but they forgot to invite him, so he was skating around where the path ended to alleviate his boredom. Yes, it just seemed like any normal day.

At least, until a large shadow plummeted down from above, and landed into a spiky bush.

"Aaaaagh! Prickles! Owie!" The object yelled, limbs flailing in the leafy plant. Startled by the sudden appearance of something falling from the sky, the child quickly hid behind a nearby lamp post with a yelp.

A battered and bruised Katelyn dragged herself from the bush, before she dragged herself up and yanked out one last thorn embedded into her left leg, wincing as she did so.  
"Urrgh… Why can't I have landed in a pile of feathers or a stack of mattresses?" She groaned, before realizing that there was a tiny Octotrooper child peeking out from behind a nearby lamppost.  
"Oh. Umm…" Katelyn pondered for a second on how to respond. "…Hello?"

"H-hello." The child replied, coming up to her on a set of skates. "Umm…what are you, exactly?"  
"Ah…" Katelyn leant down and smiled in what she presumed was a welcoming manner "I'm an Inkling, name's Katelyn. Pleased to meet ya!"  
"Umm… my name is Timmy." The child peered up at her with eyes of wonder, though there was a slight glint of fear. "I never saw an Inkling up close before. Morgan's always told me that Inklings are these scary monsters with these pairs of HUGE sharp teeth that can jump five feet in a single leap and feed on small children that have been bad. Um… I haven't been bad, so uh…don't eat me?"  
"What?" Katelyn laughed, bemused by the absurd misconception. "What kind of description is that? I'm none of those!"  
"Oh. So…are you not an Inkling?" Timmy tilted his head curiously. "Are you…an angel?"  
"An angel?"  
"Granny's told me this story once, about two angels descending from the sky to create the world. You fell from the sky, so…"  
"Oh! No, no. I'm not an angel either."  
"Erm…" The tiny Octotrooper tapped his face with a miniature tentacle, his face scrunched up in concentration. "Hmm… what else could you be then?"

Katelyn chuckled, and sat down next to the small child. "Heehee, does it really matter what I even am? I'm just someone that doesn't mean any harm. Don't think too hard about my origins, I don't really like to anyway."  
"Okay!" Timmy replied, also propping himself down. "So… are you going to be my friend?"  
"Of course I will!" Katelyn smiled warmly and extended a hand to shake. The tiny Octotrooper shook back with the tip of his solitary tentacle, returning an innocent smile.

"So what exactly are you doing here?" Timmy asked, tilting his head curiously.  
"Not that much, really. I'm just passing by here to reach this place called Smokestack." Katelyn looked down at the child, "Would you know anything about such a place?"  
"Hmm… naw. Maybe Granny might know a thing or two if I ask her though!" Hopping up again on his feet, Timmy turned towards the path, motioning Katelyn to follow. "Come on, big sis! Follow me!"

As the child began trundling along on his skates and Katelyn began slowly walking after her, a thought drifted through her head.

"Did he just call me…Big sis?"

Katelyn softly giggled to herself.

"I could get used to this."

* * *

After a short trip down the dirt road, Timmy stopped by the fourth shanty house they passed. This particular home stuck out slightly from the rest with a small box of lavender flowers being grown on the front porch, and Katelyn could smell the appetizing scent of a marinated fish being cooked. A slight rumble from her stomach made the inkling realize that perhaps she should take care of dinner right about now.  
In front of the potted plants, there was an elderly Octoball about Katelyn's height tending to the lavender flowers. With a set of mechanical arms, she was gently picking some of the petals and placing them into a pouch.

"Granny! I'm home!" Timmy cried.  
Hearing the voice, the old Octoball looked up from her meager task, and smiled warmly at the tiny Octotrooper. "Oh, Timmy! You're just in time for dinner!"  
"Oh, listen, listen!" The child hopped up and down excitedly. "I made a new friend today, Granny! She's a very nice person!"  
"Is that so? I'm so proud of you! Now, who is this friend that you speak of…" It was then that Katelyn saddled within the elderly Octoball's view. "…oh! Now isn't this a surprise."

"Hey there! My name's Katelyn!" the inkling girl introduced herself. "Nice to meet you…uh…"  
"Mmhmm. It's okay, just call me Granny, everyone does in this neighborhood." The Octoball self-proclaimed Granny turned to the door, motioning Timmy and Katelyn to follow. You're just in time for our dinner too. Come, we'll talk more inside."

Following the two Octarians inside, Katelyn took a moment to take a look at her surroundings. The inside of the shanty house could barely even be qualified as a living space, consisting of one giant area and a small room tucked away in the corner that Katelyn presumed was the bathroom. The furnishings were at the bare minimum, with three dusty mattresses placed on one end and a table with four chairs surrounding it on the other. To the side next to the table there was a small kitchenette with three fish steaks being sizzled on a small frying pan, which was emitting a waft that made Katelyn's mouth water.

"Oh, goodness me! Seems like I cooked too much again today!" Granny walked up to the gas cooker and turned off the heat. "Well, it is most convenient that you decided to show up. Come, we'll eat together, shall we?"  
"Ah…um…" Katelyn stammered awkwardly, rummaging through her rucksack and withdrawing a sandwich. "I…um…bought my own food with me."  
"I see. That is fine, you can sample my culinary arts whenever you want."

While Timmy and Granny began digging into the food, Katelyn awkwardly looked at the two of them as she nibbled on her sandwich. It felt a bit rude to the inkling to be eating her own food while Granny's left a fish steak untouched on the plate, and there was the matter of that very appetizing smell coming from it…  
Her curiosity piqued, Katelyn decided to take a fork and took a bite out of her share of the fish steak, and her eyes promptly widened as she tasted the dish. The meat was unexpectedly juicy, and there was an explosion of flavors that went off in her mouth all at once, a touch of spiciness along with just the right amount of sweetness and saltiness.

Granny chuckled as she noticed Katelyn's pleasantly surprised expression. "Well, well! It looks to me I just earned myself another fan!"  
Swallowing her mouthful, Katelyn immediately turned to the elderly Octoball. "THIS IS DELICIOUS! Just what did you do to this thing?!"  
"Oh, it's a secret family recipe! My own father was the one to come up with it, bless his soul. Come now, you don't have to hold yourself back. Eat, eat!"

Katelyn didn't need the old woman to repeat herself. Within the course of a minute, Katelyn's portion was all but demolished, and she's gone back to nibbling on the sandwich she bought with her, which now felt a lot more superfluous than before.  
"I gotta say Timmy," Katelyn said, turning to the small child who has just finished his own meal as well. "Where I come from, they don't cook meals like this. If your granny ever goes up there, she'd knock 'em dead in any cooking competition!"  
"Haha, Granny's amazing! She catches the fish herself and even grew all the ingredients for it in her own farm not far from here. Maybe I'll… take you there… tomorrow…" Abruptly, the tiny Octotrooper began to feel drowsy, yawning as his entire body began to droop lazily.  
"Oh now, you must be tired." Granny said, turning to Timmy, "Come now, let's get you to bed."

A short while after, Timmy has now fallen fast asleep on one of the mattresses, snuggly tucked under a patchwork quilt. Smiling contently as Granny watched the Octotrooper child fall asleep, she then turned to Katelyn.  
"Now…" she turned to the door, motioning Katelyn to follow. "What say we have a little chat over some tea?"

* * *

As Katelyn sat out on the porch, Granny shortly followed with a small kettle, pouring a slightly viscous liquid into two misshapen cups. Taking a sip, the inkling could smell from the ink tea a calming scent of lavender flowers. Instinctively, her eyes turned towards the flowers growing on the front porch.  
As the elderly Octoball took a sip from her own cup, Katelyn looked out towards the horizon. The giant bulb that's in the center of the district still maintained its glow despite the hours that had passed, as if the setting sun has frozen on the spot.

"So… Katelyn is it?" Granny began, turning to the inkling.  
"Yeah. What is it?" Katelyn asked.  
"Well." The Octoball looked back into the distance, nodding. "I must personally thank you for making friends with Timmy, even if you are an Inkling."  
"Oh…right." Katelyn turned to the old woman, "You're not mad that I'm an inkling at all? I've been told that there were still some war veterans down here that still carried some discrimination from the Great Turf War."  
"Animosity fades with time, Katelyn. While the people that live down here will never see the true sun, I believe many have come to call this place their home." Granny sighed, "I admit that I miss the sight of the sun ever since I was only a small child, but I won't hold it against inklings. What matters now is that we are blessed with simple needs, and we don't ever have to ask for more."  
"That's… rather open-minded of you, Granny." Katelyn replied.

"Heeheehee, perhaps so." Granny took another sip of her tea, and sighed. "What brings me joy now is watching Timmy grow up every passing day. He's an innocent one, but he does get very lonely at times, especially when his sister left and never returned."  
Katelyn's interest was piqued by that remark. "Timmy's got a sister?"  
"Yes. Anna, an Octosniper. Just as innocent as her sibling was, though I sensed that she had issues she refused to talk about. I have seen her with Morgan a few times, talking about leaving this place and whatnot. I thought it was only mere curiosity, but it turned out I was wrong." Granny looked down at her tea, and sighed audibly. "If only I had spoken to Anna sooner, maybe Timmy would be less lonely now. It's the only regret this old woman has."  
"So… the reason you cooked three portions…" Katelyn looked at the elderly Octoball before her with a look of realization.  
"I suppose you can call it a habit."

The two sat together for a while, just staring into the horizon. In the distance, the chatter of other Octarians began to fade as time passed, the dirt path becoming deserted.

"I suppose you've listened to this old woman ramble long enough." Granny said, turning to Katelyn. "Perhaps you would like to tell me what a pretty girl like you is doing here."  
Katelyn shrugged. "It's a very long story. But currently I'm on my way towards this place called Smokestack to reunite with some friends of mine."  
Upon mention of the geothermal plant's name, Granny frowned. "Ah...I was hoping I'd never have to hear about that wretched place ever again. It was all due to an earthquake caused by that place that we're now cut off from the outside world for good. There is a path that leads there right in the very middle, where that bulb is, but I advise you to watch yourself."  
"Mmhmm, thanks for the reminder." Katelyn finished her tea, setting the oddly-shaped cup to her side. "You know, once we're done here, Octavio and Cuttlefish's Agents will be coming to rescue anyone trapped down here. I'll promise you that you and Timmy will be able to see the sun too!"

"Octavio, huh? Hmm, I guess even after all these years, that old coot hasn't forgotten about us." Granny also finished the last of her tea, and set it aside. "It's getting late now. I'll direct you to how to get to Smokestack tomorrow. But before that…"  
"Hmm?" Katelyn looked to the Octoball as she got up, "What else?"  
"Perhaps play with Timmy a little before you head on your way. It's the least you can do to return the favor."  
Katelyn nodded, "I understand, Granny."

As the two went inside the shanty house, the last of the Octarians left the streets, leaving the entire complex in a tranquil silence, the yellow glow of the bulb ceaselessly illuminating the dome with its calming light.

* * *

 **AN: You know, I realize the concept of life inside the Octarians domes have been done to death, but I might as well do it myself. Wonder if I pulled it off right?  
** **Also, apparently May 28th was Splatoon's first anniversary. Wow, time flies, doesn't it? Though I admittedly lacked any proper memory on it until around August. Well, here's hoping this game keeps going.**


	26. Forgotten Knowledge

**Forgotten Knowledge**

* * *

There was a platform suspended in midair, surrounded from all around by empty space. Next to the platform, lay a set of train tracks that has accumulated a layer of rust that shook in frequency as seconds passed. Moments later, an express train shot past the floating platform atop the tracks in breakneck speeds, eventually passing by and disappearing into the darkness.

Chris watched as the train passed by him, sighing as the trundling noise it made disappeared into nothingness. That was probably… what… the fifth train since he arrived? He was starting to get impatient.  
The inkling turned round on the bench he sat on, towards the fissure on the wall behind him. By some oddity, the crack he crawled into had led to this train platform out of nowhere, and so far not a single train that's passed through here had even stopped once. He had entertained the notion of stepping out onto the tracks himself to see where it lead, but thought better of it when the thought of a ten-ton train barreling right towards him crossed his mind.  
Chis shook his head, laughing to himself. Cobalt would've undoubtedly done exactly that if it meant getting to the destination faster.

"Yes, I suppose he would." A voice replied to the right of Chris. Turning his head, he was met with the sight of another inkling about his height, sporting a similar shade of green akin to his own tentacle color.

Chris stared at the inkling before him for a few seconds, before turning his sights back to the train tracks. "Huh. I never thought that even after all this time I'd be seeing you again."

"Oh come on. Not even a 'Nice to meet you again, Jensen'?" The other inkling laughed, flailing his arms wide. "I'm pretty sure you know THIS was bound to happen."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." A lightbulb flickered, and now Jensen was leaning on a pole with weathered advertisements just within Chris's peripheral vision. "Still, I don't really need you reminding me that there's no one else around right now."

"Ah, don't be so hard on yourself. You do REALIZE that the circumstances were beyond your control." Chris watched as Jensen danced around the pole, hanging precariously off the pole with one arm and leaning towards the tracks. "That Eliza girl sure had you beat, didn't she? Feeling a little…jealous?"

"…" Chris ignored him, and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. In the corner of his vision, he could see Jensen prancing about on the ceiling, absentmindedly doing cartwheels on the spot.

"Well, whatever. I noticed that you've been giving second glances towards a certain someone…" Jensen casually remarked, doing cartwheels with his limbs adhered to the roof, "You really know how to pick 'em, huh? A silent lil' wallflower, just like when you were a lil' squirt. Maybe you oughta make a move on her before someone else does, girls like her only come once in a blue moon, ya know!"

Chris immediately turned to look straight at Jensen, somewhat irritated by the remark.  
"What would YOU know about romance?" He scoffed, looking back down towards the tracks. Chris could see Jensen next to the pole again, reading the advertisements with a look of interest. "Besides… you know I can't exactly just tell her directly about what I feel. I mean, you of all people know that I'm…well…"

"Insane? A few screws loose? Off your rocker? I got a few more similes, if you want to hear 'em." Jensen was back next to him, listening to music from a set of headphones. "Well, you keep up the façade quite well in front of everyone else, if you ask me. No one'll ever know you're seeing things that aren't really there."

"Pfft. I'm not asking for your opinion."

Jensen simply shrugged, and patted Chris on the back. "Well, I tried. But still, give it some thought for your dear old bro, wouldya?"

Chris didn't reply to him. Another train was approaching, but this one was slowing down, eventually coming to a full stop in front of him. The doors opened, revealing a completely empty carriage within.  
"Now arriving at: Middle of Nowhere Station. Next stop: the Grand Library." An electronic female voice blared from inside the train. "Please mind the gap when boarding and alighting."

With a sigh, Chris got up from the bench, and looked around. The train platform was completely deserted.

"Well, I might as well just get moving." He said to himself. Walking inside the train, he sat down at the nearest seat and stretched his muscles as the train doors closed, the vehicle rushing into the darkness.

* * *

Chris watched as the scenery rolled past the train. It was mostly darkness with the faint silhouette of rocks flying past, while on occasion he caught a glimpse of lampposts suspended in thin air merely by flashes of light darting past the windows.  
Looking around the train itself, he noticed that he was the only passenger. The other benches were empty, minus a couple piles of trash that undoubtedly nobody was around to take care of. Some of the seats were even covered in messy graffiti, the scribbles completely indecipherable to him.

The inkling fidgeted slightly in his seat. It was rather unsettling to be riding a train all by himself with no other passengers in sight. It was very likely that this train had no driver either and was being run by some manner of automated system.

"Hey, anyone there pickin' this up?" A familiar voice Chris recognized as Captain Cuttlefish blared through his headset. "If ya can, say "Captain Cuttlefish crunches countless crabby cakes" three times really quickly!"  
Tapping his headset, Chris responded. "Seriously? Whatever happened to a simple 'Aye'?"  
"Well, ya never know when it comes to rogue Octarians, bucko!" Cuttlefish replied, "For all I know, you could be someone impersonating one of my Agents, ya know! But I know for certain they are absolutely horrid when it comes to tongue twisters!"  
"'She sells sea shells by the sea shore'." Chris could hear Octavio drawl in the background in one breath. "There. That's another one of your crackpot theories down the drain."  
There was the sound of a bang that sounded like bamboo striking solid ground, and the sound of an exasperated groan passed through Chris's headset. "CURSES! Back to the drawing board, methinks."

Chris shook his head, silently laughing to himself. "Well, greetings aside, I don't suppose you know where I am, right? I'm currently in this train that's leading to this…Grand Library. Any ideas?"  
"Hmm…" Cuttlefish mused, "Well I know nothin' about such a place in Octo Valley, but I'd imagine Octavio would know more about it. Do ya, old friend?"  
"Well, I would normally leave it to Eliza for explanations, but I suppose while I'm here…" Octavio replied. Chris could then hear shuffling as the aged octopus walked up to the microphone himself. "Ahem… Is this thing on? Anyway…"  
"Go on. Fill me in here." Chris listened intently, withdrawing a notepad from his backpack.  
"A'ight. The Grand Library used to be where all our knowledge was stored. Old literature, weapon design plans, sick tunes, you name it. Back in its heyday, that place also doubled as an archive to store artifacts whenever we dig up something interesting, but I'm not certain if any of it survived after that earthquake."  
"Well, my Agents did find these old bits of paper with some of it written in gobbledegook they can't read in the slightest scattered all around the Valley." Cuttlefish remarked, "I'd imagine those were from the Grand Library you mentioned?"  
"Could be. They could've been scattered all about thanks to that earthquake, or some of it could've been bought up here by the initial wave of survivors we rescued. Either way, they most likely originated from where you're now headed, Chris."

"This is certainly interesting to hear." Chris said, putting away his notepad. "If I could find anything that might possibly correlate with our quest, I don't suppose you could let me keep 'em?"  
"Well, it'd certainly be better than having 'em rot in someplace that no one's ever gonna hang round in a long while. You have my permission to take whatever you want as far as I'm concerned."  
"Alright then. Thanks, Octavio." Chris perked up slightly as another though passed his mind. "Wait. How am I supposed to get to Smokestack from there?"  
"I can answer this for you, Lord Octavio." Another familiar voice replied which Chris recognized as Eliza's voice. "The archives which milord mentioned are an intricate array of corridors within a large basement warehouse, housing the artifacts which we have found over the ages. Storage is simple because the majority we have found consists of paper scraps, but certain artifacts are much harder to preserve due to their unusual nature. Some time ago, the Grand Library was connected to Smokestack in the hopes that the additional energy could be used to improve the efficiency that this preservation can be maintained. A maintenance tunnel that links all the energy cables from Smokestack could be found in the deepest reaches of the archives."

Octavio coughed as unconvincingly as he could, before replying. "Yes, thanks for the explanation, Eliza. Erm… how long have you been listening in, anyway?"  
"Ever since Chris began the discussion with you, Milord. It was your orders to make sure that I aid them to the best of my ability, yes? I am simply doing as you have told me by being their guide in Sector 0."  
"Ugh… right, right. Don't push yourself too hard, Eliza. I'll be guiding this inkling myself, so just focus on the others."  
"As you wish, Lord Octavio." There was a slight crackle as Eliza disconnected from the transmission.  
"Ach, that lass seems like a bit of a nosy one." Captain Cuttlefish remarked.  
"Pfft. You're telling me."

Chris felt a slight force tug at his body as the train began to slow down. Looking out of the nearby door, he noticed the train coming to a stop next to another station as it screeched to a halt. His gaze lazily drifting above the door, he noticed a train map that by some unexplained reason only displayed two stops: the Grand Library, and the Middle of Nowhere.  
"Hmph. Wonder what was the point of all those trains that passed by, anyway?" He asked himself. "… Whatever. This certainly looks like my stop."

As the train came to a complete halt and Chris stepped out into the deserted platform, he failed to notice a presence staring at him from a distant building. With a huff, the figure disappeared into the darkness, the sound of clanking metal boots barely audible within the blackness.

* * *

Walking along the sidewalk of a street that has been pockmarked by fissures on the ground, Chris stopped to soak in his surroundings. The buildings looming all around him felt reminiscent of the less bustling streets back in Inkopolis. The inkling remembered that there were moments when he and Cobalt used to walk down streets like this at the dead of night, returning home after a long hard day of Turf Wars. During that time of night, there used to be barely anyone around on the streets, if there was anyone around at all. Even with Cobalt by his side, Chris always felt this slight pang of loneliness while they walked home.  
But now that he was actually alone since as long as he had remembered, the sight of the forlorn streets stretching far into the distance with no light source to guide his path seems to have made that feeling come back with full force, and the creeping vines hanging off of signs above him as well as layers of gunk that heavily coated the windows around him served to accentuate this feeling.  
However, there was a massive building in the far distance that he presumed was the Grand Library, which despite the passage of time still somehow shone with a bright light that can be seen from afar. Using the light as a guide, Chris has been making progress down the quiet streets, though he can't deny it was a rather dull experience.

With a weary sigh, Chris began to twiddle with his headset, eventually finding the button that allowed him to make a call. After listening to a few crackles of static, a voice he recognized as Captain Cuttlefish picked up the call.  
"Ahoy, squiddo! Whaddya need?" the elderly inkling said, "Just ask me anything you want! Except if it involves delivering crabby cakes, I'm not sharing any!"  
"I…" Chris hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "I just feel like having a chat."  
"Oho? This is certainly unexpected. Well I am used to listening to my grand-kids talking about their lil' frustrations every so often, I'm sure they wouldn't mind me wasting a bit of time yammerin' with ya."

"Thanks." As Chris rounded a corner onto another ruined street, he pondered for a moment on what to talk about. "Well… What's your relationship with Octavio, anyway?"  
"That's an oddly personal question yer asking me here, lad." Cuttlefish replied. "Why?"  
"Octavio already told us about his relationship with you. I just thought I could get your side of the story."  
"Hmm… Well, I might as well start from the beginning." The old war veteran cleared his throat before he began. "This was right back before I believe when Inkopolis was that grand of a city with all those skyscrapers, methinks. When I was only a few years older than ye at the time, there used to be this huge stretch o' land that stretched from Inkopolis all the way to the island that in the future became Octo Valley."  
"The two places used to be connected?" Chris asked, curious. "That's interesting."  
"Yes, but back then Octarians also lived in Inkopolis. There also used to be this extension of the ol' city that covered the landmass." Cuttlefish coughed slightly before continuing. "Around th' time, I was only a lowly Private that did construction work on the extension alongside a workforce of… about two hundred fellows, I'd say. I think Octavio was among them, he was physically one of the strongest Octolings I've ever met, so he did a lot of heavy lifting."

Chris stopped in his tracks briefly as he just processed what Captain Cuttlefish just said. "Hold up… Octavio's… an Octoling? I didn't really think he's anything more than a normal octopus!"  
"Ah, well I think old age must've gotten to 'im. Transforming takes a lot outta him nowadays, reckon it must've been all that heavy work finally catching up with the fellah! But I'm rambling now… I recall that when we met each other we became fast friends. We used to have a few drinks with one another after a good hard day's worth of manual labor, talkin' about all sorts of things. Thinkin' back, we often shared our plans for the future. Yours truly becoming a Captain… Octavio talking about becoming a musician…"  
"I don't suppose Octavio also mentioned raising an Amazonian band of badasses, was there?" Chris remarked with a mischievous smirk.  
There was a bang as Cuttlefish rammed his walking stick on the floor, cackling with laughter. "Oh fer…That eight-limbed blabbermouth! I told 'im not to divulge that ta anyone!"  
"Whoops." DJ Octavio idly replied in the background.

After a few minutes of squabbling, Cuttlefish went back to the microphone, slightly panting from the laughter.  
"Well, that was pretty much the gist of it. We go to work, we have a little chat afterwards, those were pretty much the halcyon days. But… those good days didn't really last forever." Chris could hear Cuttlefish audibly sigh towards the microphone. "One night, there was a sudden freak storm. No one saw it coming, and by sunrise, everything we had worked for has been sunk into the ocean. It didn't take long for fingers to start pointing at each other on whom to take the blame, and tensions ran high."  
"I guess the Great Turf War started shortly after that, then?" Chris asked.  
"Not exactly, but it was pretty much the catalyst of the whole thing. With the landmass sunk like that, everyone in Inkopolis was arguin' over on how to divide up the remaining land. Inklings and Octarians in particular got all fired up about the debate, I recall. I certainly don't blame 'em for being frightened, what with the ocean being a huge puddle of liquid death for both of our races and all that…  
Soon, a majority of Inkopolis voted to send the Octarians into exile. I reckon there were some blaming the engineers for the landmass being sunk, but I think the real reason was that the Octarians in particular numbered the highest among the population in Inkopolis, and everyone else reckoned that without 'em they'd have enough rooms for themselves. In the end, I couldn't do anything but watch as Octavio and his fellow Octarians sailed off into the island in the distance to fend for themselves. But… that wasn't the last I've seen of them. Only a few months later, Octavio returned…with an entire invasion force. That's pretty much how the whole fiasco with the Great Turf War started."

Chris nodded knowingly. "So, that's it then, huh? To think that if the storm never happened…"  
"Aye. I'm not really a religious person, but that incident makes me think back to those old scriptures talkin' about the Shinin' Serpent. Perhaps they might be-"

Captain Cuttlefish suddenly paused mid-sentence. There was a faint beeping noise that Chris could barely hear coming from the other end of the transmission.  
"'ey! This ol' console here seems to be picking up a signal, just ahead of ya!" Cuttlefish exclaimed, "Whaddya seein' over there?"

Chris looked up from the floor, realizing that the Grand Library is only a few meters in front of him, the entrance atop a long flight of stairs. The blinding light coming from the building at close proximity is causing his eyes to itch.  
"I seem to have reached the library. What gives?" He looked around slightly in unease.

"By my tentacles, this shouldn't be pickin' up signals." The elderly captain muttered under his breath. "Not unless…" Chris could hear a sharp intake of breath as the captain gasped.

"What is it?"

"AGENTS! There are two agents just ahead of your position, and this here's pickin' up a distress signal! You better hurry on ahead and rendezvous with 'em, pronto!"

Without wasting another word, Chris immediately ran ahead up the flight of stairs, and into the double doors beyond.

* * *

As Chris dashed past the steel-lined double doors, he could see a figure running straight towards him.  
"WAIT!" The figure yelled. "Quick, hold the door! HOLD THE DOOR!"

Chris quickly spun around, but the doors behind him swung shut with a loud crash in a matter of moments before he could react. To his dismay, he realized that the handles on the other side of the door had long since rusted off, and whatever emergency releasing mechanism that operated the doors seems to have been fried as well.  
He was effectively trapped.  
"Oh…. No, NO NO!" The figure collapsed onto the floor, banging their fists on the floor in frustration. "You freaking idiot! That was our only way out!"

"Um…" Chris turned to face the figure on the floor awkwardly, looking down with an apologetic expression. Upon close examination, the figure turned out to be an orange-tentacled male inkling wearing Agent garb, though judging by the layer of dirt and dust on his gear he must've been stuck down here for quite a while.  
The Agent looked up at the inkling before him, blinking in disbelief. "You're… you're not an Agent. What… what's going on?"  
"I was sent down here on a mission." Chris replied, offering a hand to help up the Agent, which the latter accepted. "If it's any consolation, help's on the way once I'm done here. Name's Chris, by the way."  
"Well you're certainly doing a bang-up job so far." The Agent replied sarcastically. "Name's J- erm, Agent 467. My companion, Agent 468, is just up ahead." As he said so, he motioned towards the darkened hallway to the left of him.

"Alright then. Lead the way." Chris replied, following the Agent closely as they walked into the hallway.

* * *

As the duo walked down the hallway, Chris took the time to examine his surroundings. Despite the worn down appearance of the walls around him, they still somehow preserved an air of antiquity. Hung on the walls were picture frames of various levels of wear and tear, some of the relatively intact ones displaying posters and advertisements, though strangely enough a couple appear to be far older than the others and written in a language he can't seem to comprehend.  
"Say…" He said, turning to look at the Agent in front of him. "Have we…met before? I could've sworn I've seen you somewhere else."  
"Hmm…" The Agent turned to look back at Chris, before shrugging. "Well if I did, I really don't remember. There are a lot of inklings out there that look similar to me, it's probably just a coincidence."  
"I'll… take your word for it." Though Chris still remained somewhat skeptical.

"Hey, man!" Chris could hear someone call out from up ahead. "Did you find anything that could get us outta this jam? If I have to stay down here any longer, I swear…"  
"No, but I did find someone that ended up here just like we did!" Agent 467 shouted back, motioning Chris to step forth. "He did say that help's on the way though…"  
"Did he, now?" The other Agent's voice echoed down the corridor, "Hey, other guy! C'mere, and we'll talk properly!"

* * *

Entering the room at the very end of the hallway, Chris was mildly shocked by the sight that met him: a cafeteria area with half the hall occupied by what looks to be a preposterous amount of canned soup. At the very center of the room, another Agent with lime green tentacles was warming himself by a makeshift bonfire while emptying the contents of an opened can into a boiling pot situated above it, stirring the mixture with a soup ladle.  
"Woah." Chris could only manage to say, staring at the pile.  
"Haha, tell me about it." The Agent by the bonfire replied, chuckling. "We were lucky to have found this stockpile right here, I'll be honest. If we didn't, we'd be dried squid before anyone noticed we're missing. Say… you wouldn't happen to have bought any food with you, wouldya?"  
"Well, I did bring this sandwich with me for dinner." Chris rummaged through his backpack, withdrawing the sandwich in question. "Why'd you ask?"  
"Oh, thank the gods! You wouldn't mind sharing that with us?" The other Agent said, staring at the bubbling pot with disdain. "Two weeks of nothing but soup really puts being able to eat fast food every day into perspective, ya know?"  
"Ah…" Chris immediately didn't need to let them explain any further. "I understand. You can have the whole thing with your friend over there, I'll just have the soup."

As Chris sat down next to the campfire along with the Agent accompanying him, he watched as the two Agents began exchanging banter among themselves as they excitedly shared the sandwich Chris gave them. A moment of realization dawned on the inkling as it occurred to him why these two Agents seemed unusually familiar.  
"Hey, um…"  
"Hmm? Wha' is it?" Agent 467 replied, turning towards Chris while still taking a bite out of his portion of the sandwich.  
"…you two wouldn't happen to know Katelyn, would you? I swear I've seen the two of you from somewhere…"

The orange tentacled Agent did a double take in the middle of swallowing a mouthful of bread, almost choking on it.  
"W-what?!" The Agent sputtered. "You're acquainted with Katie? Tell me, is she doing alright?"  
"She's doing fine." Chris replied. "But more to the point, I distinctively remember seeing the two of you alongside Katelyn at one point, but where?"  
"What's he going on about-" The other Agent began, before realization also dawned on him. "Oh wait a minute… I REMEMBER! John, remember that team during the Splatfest that utterly wrecked us? That one match we played together with Mei-Lin?"  
"Hey, you're right! You're that guy with the Dual Squelcher, weren't you?" The Agent named John replied, turning to Chris. "I vaguely remember you talking to your team before that match started…I think."  
"Yep, that's me all right." Chris took out the gun in his bag to show to the Agents in front of him.

"Welp, not much point concealing our actual identities if you already know who we are." The other Agent said, also turning to Chris. "My name's Mark, and that over there is John. We're good friends with Katelyn. Assuming she doesn't overexert us, that is…"  
"Chris." The inkling introduced himself. "So why exactly are the two of you down here?"  
The Agent named Mark sighed as he looked down at his half of the sandwich. "Well, after… THAT… thing with the Altar happened, me and John were kinda down on the whole incident. That was when Jessie approached us and told us about this whole Agent program."  
"Jessie?" Chris tilted his head slightly, in a confused manner.  
"Another one of Katelyn's friends. That girl gets around, in case you haven't noticed." John clarified, "Thing is, we always thought that her part-time job was something mundane like moving stock around in Walleye Warehouse or something similar, but we didn't expect her to be actually fighting Octarians when we weren't seeing her around. Anyway, Jessie tells us all about this place where we can fight it out all we want, and sent us to that old coot. I'm sure you've met him, nothing gets in and out of Octo Valley without that soldier noticing it."

"Actually I'm pretty sure he's just overly paranoid." Mark added, turning to John with a look of amusement before looking back at Chris. "So Captain Cuttlefish gave us the designations 467 and 468, and sent us through these Octarian domes to retrieve stolen Zapfish. But if I'm honest…" The faint smile on the inkling's face briefly faded as a doubtful frown replaced it. "…fighting these Octarians just wasn't the same as playing in Turf Wars. Maybe I've known that all along, I just don't want to admit it…"

"Come to think of it, we never really did tell Katie where we've vanished off to." John finished off his portion of the sandwich, and stared into the distance. "Knowing her, she'd be worried sick about us."  
"Yeah, you're right. Wonder how she's coping with our disappearance, anyway?"  
"Ehh…" Chris awkwardly mumbled, looking elsewhere. He didn't have the heart to tell the two inklings in front of him that Katelyn had almost murdered Cobalt in a fit of fury as a result of the accumulated stress.

"But more to the point, we got bored of fighting Octarians day in and day out to retrieve any Zapfish they've stolen." Mark eventually continued after a moment of silence, "So we decided to do some exploring. You gotta admit, this place is just built for adventure."  
"Actually, I think the exploration was more YOUR idea than mine…" John mumbled.  
"Yeah…you're right. But we eventually caught wind of a part of Octo Valley that was closed off from the rest of the complex, so we decided to come here with directions that some of the local Octarians gave us. Though it never occurred to me that it would be a one-way trip…"  
"Well they DID warn us not to go there." John added, rubbing the back of his head. "That was kinda our fault for not listening."

"But what about your headsets though?" Chris asked, "Shouldn't you be able to contact Captain Cuttlefish and ask for help?"  
"That's the thing!" John exclaimed, "The moment we set foot in here, something heavily muffled our broadcast signal, so we can't ask for help! We couldn't do anything but activate the emergency beacon and hope that someone comes along to pick us up. But no one showed up at all for two weeks… until you came along."  
"Hmm…" Chris mused, tapping the call button on his headset. Sure enough, all he could hear was static. "That's not good. Could it be a signal jammer? The two of you have been in here for a while, shouldn't one of you have found something, at least?"  
"As far as I know, there IS this one stairway that led down, but it's been blocked off by some coded door." John replied, "Besides, we were trying to find ways to get outta here, not to go even deeper into the building!"

"Actually… down is exactly where I want to go towards." Chris said, "Could the combination to the door be inscribed somewhere in this library?"  
John simply shrugged. "I 'unno. Still, it might be worth a shot. If you're right and there's a signal jammer down there, we'll need to take care of that first before even considering a way out."  
"But before that though…" Mark finished off his portion of the sandwich, and yawned. "Perhaps… we should get some rest first. Man, it's so easy to lose track of time without any sunlight…"

Chris reached into his pocket and took out his phone. To his surprise, it was close to midnight according to the clock.  
"I second that notion." Chris said, putting the phone back into his pocket. "I'll just help you two clean this up. You two go on ahead and get some rest."  
"Roger that." John replied, finding a nearby corner in the room to curl up in, and falling asleep almost instantly.  
"Mmhmm." Mark briefly followed suit, deciding to sleep next to the pile of cans.

As Chris watched the two snore away their tiredness, his attention turned to the dying embers of the campfire, with the pot of still bubbling soup suspended above it. Realizing he's completely forgotten to eat anything, he took the ladle out of the pot and drank a mouthful of the soup.

Immediately afterwards, he cringed from the taste in his mouth.  
"Urgh! Tomato and Brussels sprouts soup? Now I REALLY feel sorry for them!"

* * *

 **AN: Well, first of all, I'm sorry this took so long to come out. Exams can be a nightmare to behold. Secondly, HOLY CRAP these chapters are getting long! This one broke the 5000 word mark, and I foresee them just getting even longer if this keeps up! Well, I'm pretty sure I earned it...  
I gotta admit though, exams weren't the only reason it took this long. Chris is a character I find hard to work with because he's so... generic? It's like trying to squeeze taste out of rice soup. Granted, it is entirely possible to make delicious rice soup if the stock is spiced, but I'm kinda going off topic. **


	27. Anxious Heart

**Anxious Heart**

* * *

"…Hey, Eliza…"

"..."

"So… I was thinking…"

"..."

"No, what I meant to say was…"  
"Unless it pertains to the mission at hand, hold your tongue, civilian. Now is not the time for idle chatter."  
"...I…alright then…"

Mei-Lin sighed as she turned away from the octoling, choosing to survey her surroundings instead. Ever since the two had separated from her group, they had been traversing a long cave tunnel that has been slanting diagonally downward for the last hour. It was hardly anything to look at, in fact it resembled the tunnel that the group went down with Octavio before they reached the breach, only with significantly more wear and tear. Fluorescent lights flickered weakly in their lamps, heavily corroded paneling creaked under the duo's footsteps, and a deathly silence permeated the air. It did nothing to improve the inkling's mood in the slightest.  
She looked back at Eliza, currently in front of her staring unflinchingly into the distance. While there were times when Katelyn had disturbed her in the most inopportune moments, one of which costed her hours of drawing, she would've taken those moments in favor of having to stay with this unpleasant woman any longer. The inkling did nothing to hide the look of contempt in her eyes.  
" _No this, no that, and bloody uptight on top of all of it, to boot. Sigh…_ " Mei-Lin thought to herself. " _I didn't think I'd miss that girl and that overly saccharine nature of hers…_ "

As the duo walked on ahead, Mei-Lin noticed that Eliza was twiddling with the visor over her right eye, occasionally tapping buttons on an earpiece to the side. She also seemed to be muttering words that the inkling could barely hear. Curious, she turned an ear towards the octoling to attempt to listen in to what she was saying.

"…The building before you used to be part of a larger military complex. Built in response to the construction of Smokestack, it was meant to…"

Mei-Lin shrugged, and stopped eavesdropping. Whoever Eliza was talking to, it was very likely not concerning her.  
" _She did say she was going to take care of the four of us._ " The inkling thought to herself. " _I suppose it can't be helped…_ "

"…I'll get straight to the point. Katelyn, send me your camera feed, I'll direct you out of the vents…"

" _Still… she's doing an awful lot of work._ " Mei-Lin mused. " _How does she do it? She's so determined… not like…_ "

"…Ever since Chris began the discussion with you, Milord. It was your orders to make sure that I aid them to the best of my ability, yes? I am simply doing as you have told me by being their guide in Sector 0…"

" _Sigh… I wish I could be just as brave as her. But…I…_ "

Eliza finally stopped talking to her earpiece, and went back to staring ahead down the tunnel ahead of them. Her gaze didn't flinch even for a moment.

"… _no. I can't just keep thinking like this. At least…_ "

"Umm…" Mei-Lin spoke, looking at Eliza. The octoling didn't even turn toward her. "So…"  
"What is it, inkling?" Eliza replied coldly. "I told you, unless it is relevant to the mission-"  
"I…want to ask." Mei-Lin could feel her vocal cords struggling to squeeze out her words. "Could you… train me? It's just that…"

"..."

"I…I want to be just as strong as you are. I don't want to be the one that's a burden to the rest of my team. So…"

"..."

Mei-Lin looked down towards the floor, slightly crestfallen. "…If it's not too much trouble… I mean, it will make it easier for you if I could look after myself, so…"  
"…hmph." The octoling very slightly turned her head in Mei-Lin's direction, before looking back.  
"Is that a no…?" The inkling asked, her tone uncertain.  
"…If we make it to camp, and I don't have to protect you along the way, I'll consider it. BUT…" Eliza stopped briefly, looking back at the inkling. "My training regimen is strict. You've been warned."  
"…Okay. I'll try..."  
"..."

As the octoling turned back towards the path ahead of them, while it was faint, Mei-Lin could almost muster a trace of hope.

* * *

"We're almost there."

As the duo emerged from the tunnel, Mei-Lin was astounded by what she saw, stopping in her tracks to take a moment to soak in the sights before her.  
Wherever they are now, it most certainly looked to have seen better days. A few feet away from where they are, a giant archway marked the beginning of what looked to be the long-abandoned ruins of what was once an amusement park, a neon sign that no longer shone hung onto the archway itself, the words "Low-Tide Park" barely discernable in the faint light given off from the tunnel mouth. Beyond the archway, the crumbling remains of what looks to be theme park attractions lay all over in suspended islands, the remnants of carnival stands, tea cup rides, rollercoasters and inkslides slowly gathering dust and cobwebs from the passage of time.  
The inkling decided to make a mental note to draw everything in front of her once she has the time.

"Where are we…?" Mei-Lin asked, looking around with a look of curiosity.  
"…Low-Tide Park. Or at least… what's left of it." Eliza replied, "Back in its heyday, civilians would come here to relieve stress, normally from the fact we were forced to live underground. Ever since the earthquake however, this landmark was one of many that was buried in the rubble alongside many other places."  
"It's so quiet… " Mei-Lin said, looking around. "It feels very lonely just to be wandering down here…"  
"It is silent for a reason. Low-Tide Park didn't fare very well compared to the other domes in Sector 0, because the foundations here weren't particularly reinforced. If there was anyone living in this vicinity, they might very well be long gone by now. Only ones left would likely be vandals and street rats hiding out here like absolute fools."  
"I see…"

The duo advanced past the archway into the ruined amusement park beyond, the two uneventfully passing by the decrepit remains of various attractions. Moments later however, Eliza abruptly stopped by a dust covered merry-go-round in the middle of a plaza, motioning Mei-Lin to stop.  
"Wait." Eliza said, looking around with shifty eyes. "I hear something."  
"W-what is it?" Mei-Lin asked nervously, in hushed tones.  
"…Hold position. I shall be scouting ahead." The octoling said sternly, "You got a weapon, I assume?"  
Rummaging through her backpack, Mei-Lin withdrew the New Squiffer that she had held on since yesterday, before realizing what she was being told to do.  
"Good." Eliza said flatly, without giving time for Mei-Lin to reply. "Stay here for seven minutes, and watch yourself until I return. Keep quiet."  
Mei-Lin was taken aback by the request, but nodded anyway, nervously fidgeting as she looked down at the Charger in her hands, and back at the Octoling. "I… I'll try."

As Eliza leapt over a nearby fence and disappeared into the darkness, Mei-Lin sighed and sat close near one of the mounts, which was a mock seahorse created out of porcelain that was cracked in multiple places, with one eye missing. Looking back down at the weapon in her arms, the inkling's thoughts briefly drifted towards its original owner.

" _I wonder… how is he doing?_ " Mei-Lin thought to herself. " _He's… different. I've never met any other inkling that's been that nice to me aside from Katelyn. It feels… nice._ "  
As quickly as the optimism came, however, it was swiftly overshadowed by melancholy. The inkling sighed as she tossed aside the Charger, the weapon landing a few feet to her right.  
" _Bah. What am I thinking. Not even Katelyn understands… what I've been through. He'll never understand. I'm better off alone._ "

Two minutes passed as Mei-Lin stared into the blackness that was what remained of the dome ceiling. Unlike the domes above that had music being blared all over the area, the speakers in this dome very likely fell apart along with most of the infrastructure thanks to the earthquake. Now whatever background noise remained was the distant howl of wind in the far distance, occasionally punctuated by the sound of an amusement park ride trying and failing to reactivate itself, the out-of-tune whine echoing pitifully all over the fragmented remains.  
Listening to this, Mei-Lin slowly lost track of time. While in reality two minutes only passed, it felt to the inkling as if an hour had passed.

" _...where's Eliza? Shouldn't she be back by now?_ " Mei-Lin thought, looking around briefly. " _Perhaps she's… forgotten about me? Maybe… it's better that way..._ "

"Oy! Look what we've got here!"

"!"

Mei-Lin gasped, abruptly sitting up and turning towards the source of the voice. To her surprise, there were two octotroopers dressed in rags staring back, with a large octobomber with black streaks tattooed into his tentacles accompanying them, presumably the leader of the group. The three octarian goons were leering at her with a menacing expression, causing the inkling to instinctively back away a few steps.

"Hey! Who'd have thought an inkling would wander down here alone?!" One of the octotroopers said, turning to his companions. "Whaddya reckon capturing one's worth, boss?"  
"Heh, she must've blundered down here like a dunce, look at her! She doesn't even look like she knows what's goin' on!" The other octotrooper continued, "We couldn't ask for a better target!"  
"Indeed. I'd imagine she'd be worth boatloads." The octobomber growled, motioning towards the inkling. "Grab her."

"W-wait, stop!" Mei-Lin stammered, frantically groping for the weapon she tossed aside as the hooligans approached her. "Can't we just…talk this out?"

"Aww, look at 'er, she's begging!" One of the octotroopers laughed. "Your call, boss?"  
"Hmph. Looks like she needs to be taught her place." The octobomber pointed a large tentacle straight at the inkling. "Rough her up!"

As the octotroopers rushed straight at her, Mei-Lin's fingers finally managed to grope around the handle of the Charger. Hyperventilating, the inkling quickly pointed the weapon straight at the encroaching octarians. It didn't take a sharp eye to notice her hands were trembling in their grip.

"Back away…!" Mei-Lin's voice was palpable with terror. "Don't come any closer!"

The two octotroopers abruptly stopped in their tracks, looking down at the Charger pointed right at them. Moments later, they looked at each other for a few seconds, before throwing their heads back and laughing hysterically.

"What…what's so funny?" Mei-Lin hesitated. "If you get any ideas, I'll…"

"Shoot us?" One of the hooligans laughed. "Yeah, about that."  
"That would require you to have your ink tank attached. Which you… um… haven't." The other one continued. "Whatcha gonna do, bravado us to death? HAHAHA!"

Mei-Lin briefly turned her head behind her, noticing that indeed she had completely forgotten about attaching the ink tank to her back. Without it, the weapon in her hands was literally useless.  
But just as her mind barely processed this information, one of the octotroopers charged straight at her while she was off guard, knocking her off balance and causing her to lose her grip on the weapon, the Charger clattering onto the concrete floor. The other octotrooper approached the unfortunate inkling, grabbing her with a tentacle and pinning her to the merry-go-round by her neck.

"Please… stop…!" Mei-Lin's voice was ragged, as she struggled to breathe. Her arms groped desperately at the tentacle holding her in place, attempting to struggle free to no avail.

"Heh, fancy that, Bobby! I didn't think there'd be someone out there even more pathetic than you are!" The octotrooper currently not pinning the unfortunate inkling in place chuckled. "But this girlie here just proved me wrong!"  
"Oh, be quiet, Paul!" The octotrooper named Bobby retorted. "I don't see you helping me subdue this frisky one! Get your suckers over here!"

As Paul approached her, a tentacle balled up into a fist, Mei-Lin decisively attempted to escape from Bobby's grasp by turning into squid form, slipping out of his grip and tried to crawl away as fast as she could. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get very far before both octotroopers ran after her and sat on top of her longer tentacles, effectively pinning her to the ground.

"Ugh. I always forget inklings were slippery ones." The octobomber grumbled menacingly, floating up towards the auburn squid cowering on the floor. "I'm sure we got a remedy for that."

With that, the octobomber began smashing his large tentacles on top of Mei-Lin, each blow stronger than the last. One after another, blow after blow, Mei-Lin felt like a mountain was being dropped on top of her head each time. Every time she tried to take another breath, another blow knocks it straight out of her.

It hurt a lot. But not only did every blow hurt physically, each slam felt like it eroded away at her hope.

She closed her eyes, wishing silently that it would soon all end.

But it never did.

Soon, Mei-Lin no longer had the strength to struggle any further. As her entire body went limp, the octotroopers stopped sitting on her as she reverted back to normal, her arms and legs trembling meekly as a trickle of auburn leaked out of her mouth.  
"No…no more." She felt a teardrop stream down her cheek as her entire body went numb. "I… I give…"

"Let that be a lesson to you, inkling. Now stay put." The octobomber threatened. "Larry, fetch me the ropes. We got another one to bag… Larry?"  
The octobomber looked around, expecting company. What he didn't expect however, was the sight of yet another octotrooper careening towards them, the sentient tentacle tied up in ropes grabbing the attention of the other three octarians.  
"Oy, Larry! What happened to you?" Paul shouted, running up towards the downed octotrooper. That was, at least, before a fist came out of nowhere and collided with him square in the jaw, the impact causing him to fall onto the floor, groaning in pain.  
"I found him skulking around. I knew there were fools running about trying to catch a quick buck." Eliza said coldly, relaxing a right fist from the punch she delivered earlier. She stared straight at the octobomber with a threatening glare, taking up a fighting stance. "Now, I do believe you're hurting my escort there. Back off."

"Why, you-" Bobby turned angrily towards the octoling, balling up a tentacle to deliver a punch. As the octotrooper ran straight at her, he threw the punch, only for Eliza to dodge out of the way and deliver a swift knee to the octotrooper's abdomen. Bobby fell to the floor, squirming in pain as he struggled to get up.

"Sloppy." Eliza commented, turning towards the octobomber. "You're the only one left. If you know what is good for you, leave. NOW."  
"GRRRR!" The octobomber smashed his tentacles on the concrete floor, charging straight ahead with both of them upraised. "Don't think I'd go down as easily as they would!"

As two fat tentacles smashed down on the octoling, Eliza caught both of them with both arms. The impact caused her to slide back, as she barely held up the weight of the octobomber's entire body alone. Her arms and legs visibly shook with effort at the crushing weight of the giant octarian.  
"Heh! Whaddya think?" The octobomber smirked, "I've been training myself and my lads in melee combat, just in case any annoyances like you show up! Have a taste of Big Al's submission technique!"  
"Hmph." Eliza simply replied, "I'm not impressed."  
Then something happened that the octobomber named Big Al didn't expect. Rapidly, the long tentacle coiled around Eliza's entire body unfurled itself, and wrapped around the octobomber and grabbed hold tightly.  
"Huh?! What in the-"  
"Got you."  
Before he could process what just happened, Eliza lifted the giant octarian's entire body with the limb while using her arms as leverage, and with a battle cry she smashed Big Al onto the floor behind her in a suplex maneuver, the impact causing the floor to briefly shake.

"I warned you. Now you pay the consequences." Eliza's unusually long head tentacle unfurled off the dizzy octobomber, the giant limb falling limp next to her as she breathed heavily. "Now get out of here or I'll make you all regret it."  
Bobby was the first of the hooligans to recover from being incapacitated. With two tentacles, the terrified octotrooper grabbed his fellow companions, as he pushed away at the partly spherical body of his boss, rolling him away from the octoling.  
"That supersized tentacle is a neat trick, I'll give it that!" Big Al yelled as he was being rolled away. "But don't think you're all high and mighty just because you're some freakshow of an octoling, we'll be back! I promise ya!"

Mei-Lin watched from the floor as the hooligans disappeared into the horizon, and Eliza meticulously coiled the exceptionally long tentacle around her body again. It was evident that the maneuver had taken a lot out of her as the octoling was hyperventilating as she slowly put the tentacle back where it was, her limbs still shaking with effort. But not even a minute later, she had fully recovered.

The inkling watched as Eliza walked up to her, her cold eyes staring down. For a few seconds, the octoling simply stared at her, as she was unable to do anything from the floor aside from looking around.

Then she spoke four words. Immediately, Mei-Lin's heart sank. As the octoling walked off out of sight, she lay onto the floor, too numb from pain and shock to get up.

Eliza had spoken the very last thing she wanted to hear at this very moment.

"…you disappoint me, inkling."

* * *

Inside the remnants of an observatory, Mei-Lin and Eliza sat on opposite ends in front of a crackling bonfire. Mei-Lin watched as Eliza wordlessly opened a can of rations and began eating the contents, all without making eye contact with her.

The inkling's stomach growled in protest at the lack of food, but right now Mei-Lin couldn't care less about her state of being. On top of hunger pains, an entirely different kind of pain seems to have taken hold on her, and it felt as if an invisible hand had reached into her chest and squeezed her innards hard.

She still felt as numb as she was earlier, and all she could manage now was stare into the embers of the campfire. All the while with a slightly distant look in her eyes.

Eventually, Eliza finished the can of rations, and tossed the empty canister into a nearby pile of trash. Looking back down onto the campfire, the octoling then looked up at the inkling, who was still staring into the campfire.  
"…Hey, inkling." She said.  
Mei-Lin flinched instinctively, before looking up at the octoling. "…what?"  
"You haven't eaten anything. Have you forgotten your rations for the night?"  
Mei-Lin turned away again, looking into some unseen point in the distance. "…no. I'm just not hungry."  
"I see."

A few moments passed with neither party saying a word. In the distance, the sound of another amusement park ride wheezing another ragged chime reverberated throughout the dome.

"…why did you not fight back?" Eliza eventually asked. "A Charger is more than capable to bring down two octotroopers and an octobomber."

"…!" Mei-Lin's hands clenched into fists, as they lay on her lap. She turned away from the octoling, not answering her question.

"I expected more from an inkling. Your companions… those three seem to know how to fend for themselves. You on the other hand… you just allowed those octarians to inflict harm on yourself."

"…that's… I…"

"I don't even know why your companions bought you in harm's way. Cobalt and Katelyn are able fighters, and Chris seems to be the intellectual of your team. I don't know what YOU contribute at all, you just seem redundant."

"…shut up…"

"In fact, I don't even know why I offered- Excuse me?"

"SHUT UP!" Mei-Lin shrieked, abruptly standing up. "STOP TALKING TO ME! WHY, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP REMINDING ME OF MY FAILURE?!"

The octoling watched, unfazed by Mei-Lin's outburst. "Hmph. I'm merely stating the facts here. You are merely a liability to your team, and I say this from my observations alone."

"NOBODY ASKED YOU! YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND ME! I KNOW! I KNOW HOW I'M… I'm…"

Auburn tears were visibly dripping from Mei-Lin's eyes by this point. Falling onto her knees, she began to sob into her hands, her entire body trembling as she wailed with anguish.

"…how I'm weak, how I'm a coward, how I cannot do anything! I know I'm useless, I know I'm not strong like the others! Even when my friends are threatened, I just couldn't do anything but watch!"

"..." The octoling said nothing, watching as the inkling clawed at her face, failing to stem the stream of tears flowing from her eyes.

"You're right, I am just a liability, but… you... I…I…*sniff*"

Eliza watched as Mei-Lin visibly broke down in front of her, her stoic expression slowly fading away. As the inkling gave up wiping tears from her eyes, she got up quickly, running out of the nearest exit leaving droplets of auburn behind her. Witnessing the heartbreaking scene, she sighed, and turned elsewhere.

"Perhaps… it would be beneficial if I leave her alone for a while." She said to herself. Without saying another word, she walked away from the bonfire, preparing a sleeping bag.

* * *

A breeze blew through the dome, shaking the base of a brittle set of stalactites rotted onto the ceiling. The tremor caused one of the points to dislodge from the rest, the rock cracking off and falling deep down into the abyss below.

Mei-Lin watched as the fragment disappeared into the darkness, her eyes still wet as she gazed down from the edge of the cliffside. She was sitting precariously close towards it, as she contemplated possibilities.

" _I… I can't take it anymore…_ " she thought to herself, one last droplet falling from her face and plopping onto her lap. " _I don't deserve mercy. I want it all to end._ "

As she sat up from the edge, she began walking towards the pitfall, bit by bit.

" _They… probably don't care anymore. I'm all alone again. Nobody will remember me anyway._ "

A miniscule piece of the cliff crumbled beneath her feet. Watching as the piece vanished from sight, Mei-Lin hesitated.

" _Just… one more step. It will… end quickly…right…?_ "

A thought crossed her mind. It occurred to her that the pebble that fell down didn't even make a noise.

" _Why are you hesitating, Mei-Lin! One step. That's all it takes… and it will be over…_ "

Slowly, she began to back away from the edge. As soon as she was a meter away from the cliff, she sat down, curling up into a ball.

" _No…no good. I just can't do it. I can't even do something as simple as... that…_ "

She squeezed her eyelids. But no more moisture came out. She had most likely exhausted her reservoir of tears.

" _I'm… I'm just a coward. I can't do anything. I can't even die with dignity!_ "

Emotions swirled around in her mind. Grief. Despair. Hopelessness. She felt like an emotional wreck.

"You seem troubled, young lady. What ails you?"

Mei-Lin looked up from her lap. She was met with the sight of a hooded figure, with a flashlight in one hand and a walking stick in another. Uninterested, she looked away.  
"…go away." She said. "It's none of your business."  
"Hohoho. Forgive my nosiness, but it's not like it is easy to ignore the trail you left running." The hooded figure motioned towards the trail of auburn tears that Mei-Lin had left in her wake, which the inkling noticed. "Bah, where are my manners. My name is Hermit. Trailblazer Hermit, at your service."

"…Mei-Lin." The inkling introduced herself, emotionlessly. "What are you doing here?"  
"Well, call it a hobby, if you will." Hermit replied, "Octo Valley is a land that's ripe with adventure! When I got wind of a place within it called Sector 0, my curiosity got the better of me! Now I reckon I've gotten myself in a pickle!"  
Mei-Lin raised an eyebrow at the eccentric figure. "You got stuck."  
"I suppose if you want to put it bluntly, yes." The hooded figure sat down on the dusty floor, next to the inkling. "But more to the point. Were you contemplating to commit suicide?"

Mei-Lin was taken aback by the remark. "That's…not…"

Almost like a switch was flicked, Hermit's tone changed from a mildly joking nature to a serious one. "Now, I really cannot say for certain what you've been through, I just happen to be passing by after all! But, suicide is never the answer. Once you throw away your life, it's over! There is always another way. Killing yourself is only the easy way out."

"There's no need to convince me… I couldn't do it…" Mei-Lin's voice was shaking with barely suppressed sadness. "But… that's even worse… isn't it? I'm a coward… that can't even take my own life."

"Ah… I see." The hooded figure nodded sagely. "You are a coward, you say… but, do you hate being one?"  
"I-" Mei-Lin paused. No one had asked her such a question before. "I…do. But I can't do anything about it…"  
"Is that so? But, I don't believe for a moment that you are helpless."  
"What…do you mean?"

Hermit set down the flashlight next to him, turning towards Mei-Lin. In the darkness, she couldn't make out what was underneath the hood.  
"We all have our crosses to bear." The hooded figure continued. "No one is ever born perfect. Indeed, some grow up with much larger crosses to bear than others, that's just how it is. Whatever ails you, it is most certainly not unique. But as we grow up, we are forced to confront those weaknesses. That is a process that everyone has to suffer from. There are multiple ways to do so… like gathering help from those around you."  
Recollections flashed through Mei-Lin's mind. The countless times Katelyn had helped her. The time when Chris spared her during that match. Most prominent of all, the moment when Katelyn embraced her with Chris and Cobalt by her side.  
"My…friends…"  
"Yes. Friends, family, even venting to a random stranger like myself. It is understandable that not everyone can muster the determination to improve themselves on their own. But in these instances, those around you shall serve as your crutch, until you can stand up upon your own two feet. There is no shame in being a coward, it just means that when the time comes, you shall shoulder much more bravery than any of your companions."

Looking into the distance, Mei-Lin contemplated what Hermit had told her. While the thought of cowardice being a catalyst for bravery felt like an absurd concept to her, it didn't feel entirely wrong either. Her mind drifted to her friends, and her previous thoughts of suicide.  
Perhaps, had she perished, she will indeed be missed.  
"Why…are you telling me all this?" Mei-Lin asked, turning to the hooded figure. "I don't deserve any of this advice…"

"Well, as I said before. I'm just a nosy old man. Hohoho!" Hermit then got up, brushing himself off. "Well, I best get moving. Sector 0 isn't going to explore itself!"

Mei-Lin watched as the hooded figure wandered away from her, disappearing into the darkness. It was a few moments after he had left however, that she realized he had left his flashlight behind.  
"H-hey…!" she called out in the direction the figure wandered off. "You forgot your…"  
Realizing that Hermit was likely out of earshot, Mei-Lin looked down to the flashlight in her hand, flicking it on as she retraced her steps back towards the observatory.

" _What a strange person._ " She thought to herself.

* * *

As Mei-Lin returned to the ruins of the observatory, she noticed that the bonfire has mostly died down into a small flame. Next to it, the octoling was curled up inside a sleeping bag, quietly snoozing away.  
Sitting down next to the octoling, Mei-Lin quietly looked around. It was then that she had realized she had misplaced her backpack.  
"My… bag… where is it? …hungry…" She mumbled, getting up again and looking around. After a few minutes of searching, she sighed. She must have abandoned it when she ran away in a fit.

"Looking for this?"

The inkling turned to the source of the voice. Eliza was awake, patting a bag Mei-Lin recognized as her backpack with one hand and holding out the sandwich she had packed with the other.  
"Thanks…" Without another word, Mei-Lin took the sandwich from the octoling and began eating it. In a few minutes, she had finished it.

"…I have contemplated my words." Eliza said, turning to Mei-Lin.  
"…what?" The inkling was surprised. The octoling's tone has changed. It was no longer cold and heartless, mixed in there was a hint of emotion, which almost sounded like guilt.  
"I reviewed my conversation with you a moment earlier. In hindsight, it was unacceptable to have spoken to you as if you were one of my soldiers. I had known you were fragile, but I had not expected this level of weakness. This was a scope I had not explored before."  
"…oh." Mei-Lin looked away, ashamed.  
"All I had known was strength and discipline, among my underlings, for myself, and for my enemies. I have not been trained to handle those that cannot fend for themselves, so I have most likely acted too harshly. I am in no position to request this, but I demand your forgiveness for my actions."

"Eliza…" Mei-Lin had never expected these words to come out of the octoling. She looked back at Eliza, with a look of pity.

"…I have decided." The octoling continued, putting a reassuring arm on Mei-Lin's shoulder. "Even if I cannot receive your forgiveness, I can offer you my training. It is the least I can do after what I have done."  
"…Really? You will?" Mei-Lin perked up.  
"BUT. On one condition."  
"What…?"  
"Try your best, and do not waver. That is all I demand."  
Mei-Lin nodded. She was nervous, but there was also a feeling that wasn't there before.  
"I…I will." She replied.  
"That what I want to hear. Now, get some rest. I need you at full strength tomorrow."

As Eliza retreated into her sleeping bag, Mei-Lin rummaged through her backpack, withdrawing a sleeping bag of her own. As she set it up nearby to where Eliza lay sleeping, she allowed the ghost of a smile to rest upon her face.

" _Perhaps… she's not as bad as I thought…_ "

* * *

 **AN: Well, this was one of the hardest chapters I had to put out. Two reasons mostly, one because writing emotional scenes can be really hard due to my inexperience in expressing moments of emotional high in writing form, and two because I actually feel guilty putting one of my characters through this type of torture. I'm so sorry, Mei-Lin!  
But enough about that. Once again, I'm requesting feedback on this chapter. Is it still captivating, or does it feel somewhat eroded? It feels like the quality this time might have taken a hit, but that might just be me.**


	28. Eagerness of the Underdog

**Eagerness of the Underdog**

* * *

"So, you're certain the weapons lab is this way?"  
"Yeah…*yawn* I think so. Just stick around, alright?"  
"Ehh. If you say so…"

Cobalt shrugged his shoulders and looked away from the octoling, surveying his environment as the two walked down astride a series of ruined corridors. It has been a couple of moments ever since he had woken up and continued his journey deep into the bowels of the fortress, and now that he had the time to ponder his situation, he realized that it had been quite the stroke of luck he happened to have met possibly the only octarian in the entire base that didn't want his head on a stick. With his surroundings bare and dull, it occurred to him that had he been still alone, he could've gotten lost in the barracks with no way out.

The masked inkling's attention turned to Tai, the octoling humming to herself dismissively as they rounded another corner. While Eliza was about as tolerable as a cactus and dressed the part of a seasoned commander, Tai seemed like the exact opposite compared to the ice-cold sniper. Her tentacles unkempt and ragged alongside her extremely bored expression gave her the appearance of someone that only just got out of bed, and indeed Cobalt remembered having to actually shake the octoling awake, which didn't end particularly well.

Passing by another pile of fallen rubble, Cobalt realized that Tai had stopped in her tracks, and was now staring straight at him.  
"You know…" She said with a look of concern on her face. "You've been giving me that look for a while now. Can't say that I like it."  
Cobalt was perplexed. "Um… what?"  
"It's that look you've got there. That 'I really don't want to be with this oh so attractive lady any longer' sorta look, you know?" Tai clarified. "Don't suppose you'd tell me why? Last thing I want is to be shot in the back."

"Oh… right." The masked inkling grumbled. "Well, remember when I mentioned we had another octoling hanging around that's supposed to be escorting us through this place?"  
"Hmm… Think ya did. What's she like?"  
"Let's… just say she's the most unpleasant woman I've ever had the misfortune to meet. I mean, she's a looker, but…" Cobalt groaned loudly at the recollection. "Ugh… screw it. I think you get the idea."  
"Well, whoever she was, she can't be as bad as Aussie, I'd imagine. Thanks for the clarification though." Tai replied, turning back towards the corridor as the duo resumed their trek.

"Aussie? Was that the name of that other octoling you were talking to yesterday?" Cobalt asked. "Friend of yours?"  
"If by 'friend of mine' you mean 'superior commanding officer', then yeah." The octoling replied. "Course, it's not like I'm loyal to her or anything. If I were, I'd be down there sifting through rubble like the rest of the soldiers around here rather than spending quality time with you."  
"Well, she certainly sounds pleasant." Cobalt chuckled, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I can't really see someone like myself following her. Why haven't you left yet?"

The two passed underneath a ceiling that was heavily damaged, a crack exposing a set of steel chrome pipes within. One of the pipes were bent in an unusual angle, its contents spilling out on the floor as water droplets trickled steadily from the fracture. With a huff, Cobalt jumped over the puddle while Tai simply walked around it, mildly amused at Cobalt's energetic attitude.

"Ehh… Well for starters, it's not like I can go anywhere, even if I wanted to." Tai continued, turning towards the masked inkling. "Believe me, I've already searched the place countless times. There's no way outta here except for that hole in the cavern ceiling, and considering our luck I'd imagine that's been sealed off. Even if we had the machines to fly up there, we won't be able to get out without causing the whole thing to collapse on top of us."  
"Yeah, it is definitely sealed off. It's where I came down from." Cobalt replied, "I'm not leaving yet though, so I'd rather worry about the whole leaving thing later."  
"Well, there is another reason, I'll admit. If I left, who's gonna make fun of Aussie for me? She's a lot of fun to play with, so I'd be even more bored without her to muck around with. You should've seen her reaction when I tampered with her goggles one day." An impish smirk descended upon the octoling's face as she recalled the memory. "Priceless."

Simultaneously baffled and unable to believe what he was being told, Cobalt could not help but let out a confused laugh.  
"Is that octoling REALLY your commanding officer?" He chuckled.

Reaching a set of stairs, the duo began descending down the stairs, passing by dusty direction signs and cracked windows as they did so. Halfway down the stairs, Cobalt hopped on to the banisters at the side of the stairway, sliding down the rail with an audible 'wheeeee'. Shrugging dismissively, Tai proceeded to follow suit, until they reached the bottom.

"I forgot to mention something else." Tai remarked, brushing herself off as the two got up from the floor, "Me and Aussie, we're like the only two octolings down here, but we don't belong here. Well… sort of."  
"Come again?" Cobalt replied.  
"Yeah." Tai looked around, eventually noticing an eroded sign with 'Weapons Development' mounted on the wall, and walked ahead as she motioned the masked inkling to follow. "I honestly forgot how long ago it was, but DJ Octavio assigned us to scout out some old ruins within Octo Valley, something about working overtime, I forgot the finer details."  
"I assume that it didn't end very well…" The masked inkling guessed.  
"Pretty much. Ground opened up, swallowed the two of us, now we're here. Gods, I can't even remember how long ago that was, we could've been here for months! Still…" The octoling smirked, "I never even HEARD of a Sector 0. It was fun exploring this crumbling base, even if it was for a while. Though, I gotta say the folk around here are… odd."

Passing by a series of plexiglass doors, Cobalt was briefly preoccupied with peering into some of the doors they passed by. He could barely make out brief flashes of immobile tentacles and chunks of scrap metal, at least the doors that did not contain rubble beyond. There were even rare glimpses of strange monstrosities beyond the doors, which sent a shiver down his back.

"Odd?" Cobalt asked, turning to the octoling.  
"I'm guessing because things haven't changed much for them, the local octarians still seem to carry some kind of hierarchy system." Tai clarified, "I don't know much about history, but I'm sure we've quashed that tradition sometime after that whole Great Turf War thing. Cultural diversity, and all that."  
"Ehh…" The masked inkling tapped the side of his head. "Your point?"  
"Well, in layman's terms, you're like more important the more limbs you have. Apparently for octolings like us, we got arms, legs, and well…" Tai briefly fondled her head tentacles, "…these, that makes eight. We're basically the queens of this part of Octo Valley."  
Cobalt rolled his eyes dismissively. "Sounds stupid."  
"I know, right?!" Tai exclaimed, throwing her arms out in exasperation. "So Aussie just ends up telling me to behave nonstop and show some discipline, all to keep these guys from going nuts, and I swear she gets more stressed out by the day. If I'll be honest, I think being stuck in this place is starting to get to her, BIG time."

"Hmm. Sounds bad." Cobalt briefly checked over his shoulder, making sure nothing was following them. "Don't suppose I could do anything to help?"  
"Nah. I'd say this would be mostly between me and her to deal with. But…" Tai eyed the weapons holstered by the sides of the masked inkling, "Say we do run into her, give her a bit of trouble for me. I'd say fighting an angry inkling should get her to snap out of it."  
"Now you're talking my language." Behind his mask, Cobalt flashed a smile.

"HEY, TAI! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU WANDERED OFF TO?!" An irate voice yelled, travelling down the corridor.

Both Cobalt and Tai turned simultaneously towards the source of the sound, and noticed a shadow creeping down the corridor behind them, the shade suggesting a being slowly getting closer.  
"Aw, crap. Speak of the devil…" Tai grumbled, looking around and noticing a distinctive lack of cover. "This place isn't really ideal for a fight. I'll stall her. You go hide somewhere."  
"Hide? Where?!" Cobalt whispered back. "I don't see any hiding spots!"  
"Hmm…" The octoling looked around, her sights eventually settling on a pile of boxes, with a small shoebox placed in plain view on top of the pile. "I think I got an idea."

* * *

From the stairway, an imposing figure reached the bottom of the stairs, eventually coming into view as she stepped under a flickering light, revealing the figure to be another octoling. Much like other octolings, she was dressed in standard combat garb and had a set of goggles covering her eyes. This particular specimen however sported a set of jet black tentacles atop her head as opposed to the standard beet red, as well as a set of seaweed tied atop her head. All in all, the spitting image of elites within the octarian army.

The elite octoling stepped into the corridor, immediately noticing Tai with a shoebox tucked under her right arm. With a huff, she briskly stepped forth towards her, meeting the other octoling face to face.

"There you are! I was looking for you!" The elite octoling yelled. "What are you doing down here?!"  
"Chill out there, Aussie!" Tai replied cheerfully. "Did you wake up with another knot in your panties or something?"  
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS KIND OF ATTITUDE!" Aussie yelled back. "We have a duty to see to these stranded octarians! I can't just let you wander down here willy-nilly messing around! They've been clamoring for you up there, and I can't just shut them up now, can I?!"  
"Well, these guys made it on their own for like… ever." Tai shrugged, "I'm sure they can stand a few minutes away from lil' ol' me, ya know."  
"I will not be hearing excuses, ESPECIALLY from my direct subordinates, you hear me?!" The elite octoling screamed, causing Tai to flinch. "You are getting in line or by the GODS I'll-"

Aussie's gaze abruptly met the shoebox in Tai's possession. She took off her goggles, revealing a set of eyes with crimson irises narrowing with suspicion.

"Tai." She said flatly. "What's that you have there?"

"Oh! Umm…" Tai replied, her eyes swiveling about nervously. "This? I… I just found it lying around, exploring down here. It's nothing that you'd be interested in, honest!"  
"Hmm… You're not being yourself." Aussie's voice was ripe with suspicion. "Open it."  
"Um…" Tai looked around. "What did you say again?"  
"I SAID, OPEN IT!" Aussie cried, "If you won't do it, I'll do it myself!"

Without warning, the elite octoling snatched the cardboard box out of Tai's hands. Before she could react, Aussie reached down and flung open the lid, revealing…

A set of pristine black boots.

"Oh." Aussie said flatly. "Combat boots? That's unusual."  
"Ah, dammit Aus!" Tai groaned. "I noticed your boots were getting worn down recently, so I was looking for a new pair all this time! You just had to go and ruin the surprise, didn't you?"  
"R-really? Umm…" Aussie stammered. "Well. That's… rather nice of you. Sorry."  
"That's good to hear. Still…" Tai fluttered her eyelashes at her commanding officer. "I oughta make it up to you for all that trouble. Maybe… we can share a room tonight and I could keep you… Com. Pa. Ny."

"Oh, GODDAMMIT, TAI!" The elite octoling yelled, flailing as if she was desperately trying to forcibly forget a horrifying mental image. "I had to listen to your STUPID innuendos all the way here, and now you're coming on to me?! To your commanding officer?!"  
"What? What's wrong with being bunk buddies?" Tai replied, an innocent expression on her face. "Sharing a room every once in a while isn't that bad, right?"  
"I- I don't even… GAH!" Aussie threw up her arms, running back the way she came. "To HELL with this, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now!"

With that, the elite octoling swiftly vanished up the stairway, one last frustrated scream echoing down the corridor as she went. Looking at the sight with a bemused expression, Tai turned her attention to the pile of boxes.  
"Well, that went well, didn't it?" She said. As she did so, the largest box in the pile shuddered, and a dark blue squid popped out of it, reverting into Cobalt in the process.  
"Quick thinking there." The masked inkling replied, "Where'd you learn that trick with the shoebox?"  
"Let's just say… a couple of friends of mine taught me that one." Tai simply replied. "Though Aussie also knows about it, so I had to improvise."  
"Still, I think we should get moving." Cobalt remarked, turning back towards the way they were supposed to be headed. "I get the feeling that she's not going to be distracted for very long."

As the two continued on their way however, they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of boots loudly clattering on the floor. Abruptly turning around, Cobalt was unpleasantly surprised as he spotted Aussie running back down the stairs, about to turn at their direction.  
"Wait, Tai! I forgot to tell you to-"

A few awkward seconds passed as the elite octoling stared at Tai and Cobalt standing together. The duo exchanged looks of dread, as Aussie stared agape at the sight.  
"…um…" Tai muttered, "Oh. Oh crap."

"TAI!" Aussie cried, shocked. "What… what is the meaning of this?!"  
"Ah. Um…" Tai raised a hand, trying to muster a thought. "It's not what you think. This is… a REALLY long story."  
"This… what… I don't even…" Aussie seemed too dumbstruck to be able to speak, her temper rapidly flaring up as she raised both fists in front of her. "Tai… how… how COULD…"  
"Erm… so there I was one night…."  
The elite octoling was visibly quivering from head to foot in rage. "I… after ALL that…! You…! YOU…!"

Then, unexpectedly, her arms flopped to her sides. Like a switch has been flicked, Aussie stopped shaking, and looked down on the floor.  
"Umm… Commander?" Tai looked worriedly at her commanding officer. "Are you… are you still there?"

"Heh. Ehehehehehe…HAHAHAHAHA!" Aussie suddenly threw back her head and laughed, causing Tai to recoil. "Oh, Tai! Dear sweet Tai! You're just… UNBELIEVABLE!"

"Eh... Aussie?" The octoling was unnerved at her commander's abrupt shift in personality. "Are you feeling alright there?"  
"ALRIGHT?!" Aussie laughed hysterically. "HOW COULD I BE ALRIGHT?! Here you are, consorting with the intruder I presume arrived when those alarms went off, not doing a THING! And that is after ALL those little moments where you HAD to refuse to cooperate with me, just INFURIATING ME to the moon and back, making ALL these stupid jokes and innuendos, releasing all those prisoners without my consent back then, banging on the side off my room OVER AND OVER…"

"I uh… think she's pissed off." Cobalt flatly remarked, as Aussie continuously spouted a growing list of offenses that Tai committed that seemed to grow more absurd as she went along.  
"You think?" Tai replied, raising an eyebrow.

"…then after you had the nerve to COME ON to me, I see you here, playing about with INKLING SCUM!" Aussie finished, a smile stretched to breaking point with stress on her face. "Oh, dear, sweet, innocent Tai! When I took you under my wing all these years ago, I never thought you'd be this much of a handful! Honestly… I'm starting to think just reprimanding you isn't enough now! Maybe I should personally… Pun. Ish. You." The elite octoling punctuated the last three syllables softly, licking the edges of her lips with anticipation.

Tai cringed as she shivered at the remark. "Oh man. That three syllable thing is NOT as funny when I'm at the receiving end."  
"I'm guessing this is the part where I'm supposed to intervene?" Cobalt said, withdrawing his weapons and glared at the commander. "You did say that I should probably fight her."

"Oh, wow! And now I've learnt that Tai was plotting with this inkling to ASSASSINATE ME!" Aussie's eyelid twitched as an aura of murderous intent began emanating from her. "This day just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?!"  
"Actually, it's more like he's fighting you to relieve you of some of that stress." Tai remarked nervously. "I'm sure you won't mind if he loosens a few knots off those knickers, right?"

The octoling withdrew an octoshot from the side of her belt, slowly taking aim at Cobalt. A few tense moments passed as the two were locked in a standoff.  
Then unexpectedly, she replaced her octoshot by her side, and clapped twice.  
"On the contrary… I'm in no mood to handle this inkling." Aussie said, "SOLDIERS! Assemble!"

To Cobalt's bewilderment, octarians suddenly began streaming out from every door, vent and opening behind the elite octoling, flooding the corridor until every inch behind Aussie was literally occupied by a soldier, numbering in the hundreds at least. They stopped at a certain distance from the commander however, likely sensitive to the aura leaking from her that seemed to be clouding up the air. The atrocious amount of octarians caused their various cries to pile up into an incomprehensible mess.  
"We're here, great commander! What are your orders!"  
"What's going on? Isn't that the other octoling?"  
"Why is there an inkling here of all places?!"  
"Are we being betrayed?! I don't want to believe it!"  
"Get your ass out of my face, I can't see!"

"Oh… crap." All of Cobalt's bravado instantly drained at the massive crowd as his arms flopped meekly to their sides. "Well… there's the army of angry octarians I was expecting. I didn't expect this many though… this could be a problem."  
"Okay… time for plan B." Tai said, turning her head at Cobalt.  
"Erm… what's plan B?" Cobalt asked.  
"What else?! RUN LIKE HELL!" Tai yelled, turning 180 degrees on the spot and charging off into the distance.  
Cobalt was unprepared for the impromptu strategic retreat, stumbling on the spot before running full pelt after the octoling. "Eh- AGH! WAIT UP!"  
"Well whaddya waiting for, soldiers?! An invitation?!" Aussie yelled enthusiastically, "AFTER THEM!"

As Cobalt and Tai ran away from the commander as fast as their legs could carry them, Aussie immediately ran after them with the army of octarians in hot pursuit, though given the amount of soldiers squeezed into one space it was less an army of battle-ready octarians but rather a writhing pile of tentacles being shoved haphazardly down a tight corridor.  
Reaching a fork in the road, Cobalt and Tai nodded towards each other and split up, running in opposite directions. It didn't have the intended effect however, as while Aussie chased after Tai while cackling like a madwoman, all of the octarians chased after Cobalt instead, save for a few stragglers that went after their commander, possibly out of pity.

"OH COME ON! Are you kidding me?!" Cobalt yelled in exasperation, running for dear life.

* * *

As Cobalt rounded another corner with a wall of tentacles in hot pursuit, his headset began ringing. Reaching up to it, he pushed a small button on the side and answered the call.

"Morning, Cobalt! *yawn*" Callie's drowsy voice answered him. "How's your…day…? Uh…"  
"OH HEY! GREAT TIMING!" Cobalt shouted back, "I COULD USE A LITTLE HELP HERE!"  
There was a slight clatter as Callie seemingly recoiled from the microphone before she picked it up again. "Okay, two things. One, there's no need to yell, I'm still half-asleep over here. Two, WHY DO YOU HAVE FIFTY DOMES WORTH OF OCTARIANS AFTER YOUR TENTACLES?!"  
"It's a long story!" Cobalt briefly spun round and fired a brief salvo of dark blue ink behind him, the substance coating the floor and walls, hoping to slow down the deluge of octarians. He was answered with multiple bursts of fuchsia ink utterly nullifying his efforts. "Okay, I was hoping that would work. Any ideas, lady?!"

"Shoot! Don't just put me on the spot like that! Um…" Cobalt could hear some frantic background chatter as Callie spoke to a few people nearby, before she returned to the microphone. "Okay, bit of a problem. Octavio said that unless you have no choice, you have to refrain from killing any of them. We're also supposed to rescue any octarians we find down there, so I reckon you'll need to shake 'em somehow."  
"I don't see any hiding spots." Cobalt paled. "That leaves…"  
"Yep. Just run like your car's on fire because it crashed into a camp fire near Camp Triggerfish and the nearest hose is like a mile away."  
"That's… oddly specific."  
"Call it personal experience, if you will." Callie sounded mildly guilty as she said the words. "But don't worry about that. For the time being, LEG IT!"  
Cobalt briefly looked over his shoulders, and his dread went up by another notch as he noticed a tidal wave of fuchsia ink being fired from the mass of pursuers and landing mere inches from his footsteps, most likely emboldened by his failed attempt to slow them down.  
"Well, you don't have to ask me twice…" Straining his legs to their limits, the masked inkling picked up his pace, determined to not be splatted by the barrage that seemed to put the past absurdities he encountered in Turf Wars to shame.

* * *

Reaching a large open space, Cobalt spotted a locker situated close by. With not a moment to lose, he quickly jumped in and hid, just as the swarm of octarians burst out of the corridor after him and stopped, losing their target.  
"He's gone!" One of them said, "Where'd he go?"  
"He can't have gone far!" Another replied, "Not many places to be hanging about in the Testing Chamber! Fan out!"  
"We'll stand guard right here!" An octotrooper near the entrance announced. "That inkling's not getting out this way!"

As Cobalt watched the octarians spread out and began patrolling the general vicinity, nursing his cramped legs as a result of the pursuit, a crackle rang in his headset before Callie's voice came through.  
"You feeing alright there?" She asked, "Gotta say, I'm impressed by how fast you can run."  
"Urgh, not like I'm going to do that again anytime soon." Cobalt grunted, rubbing the back of his leg. "But never mind that, did one of them just mention that this is the testing chamber?"  
"Yeah… didn't Eliza say the entrance to Smokestack is supposed to be somewhere in here?" Callie said, "But with this many patrols…"

Cobalt watched as an octotrooper passed by the locker he was hiding in, holding his breath as the soldier paused right in front of the locker. Watching as the octotrooper looked around suspiciously at his vicinity, he exhaled a breath of relief as the soldier shrugged dismissively and resumed on his patrol.  
"No good. There's way too many of 'em." Callie continued, "Looks to me you'll need to be careful with how you're approaching this one. How are you with your sneaking abilities?"  
Cobalt internally groaned. "Again? Alright then…"

Making sure that no other patrols were passing by, Cobalt cautiously opened the locker, closing it behind him as silently as he could. Crouching low, he noticed a nearby desk to hide under, switching into squid form and quietly dragged himself under the tight space. His eyes narrowed as he saw an octoball roll past behind him, cutting off his entry point with a trail of fuchsia ink.

Noticing two octotroopers slowly trundling past on their vehicles in front of him, Cobalt slithered out from underneath the desk as they passed by, switching back into normal in the process. Taking care to avoid stepping into the trail being left behind by the octotroopers, he crouched down on all fours and tailed the soldiers, taking care to peek around every crossroads in the maze of workbenches and cabinets to ensure that there wasn't an approaching octarian, switching into squid form and squeezing himself into the nearest tight space available whenever there was.

This arduous stealth procedure continued for a few tense minutes, before eventually the two octotroopers he was following passed by a wide open area occupied by various machines that wouldn't look out of place in a factory. To Cobalt's relief, it seemed that the makeshift workspace was entirely devoid of any octarians. Finding an opening, he wandered away from the soldiers, hiding behind a large machine that seemed to be partly under construction.

"Right, _so far so good._ " Cobalt thought to himself, surveying his surroundings. " _Now where's that entrance…_ "  
Edging around the machine for a better view, the masked inkling spotted a large tangle of cables extruding from it that to his pleasant surprise led to a rather conspicuous hatch on the floor with a 'power supply' sign riveted on it not entirely far from his position. There was however, one octarian in the way that was between him and the hatch, seemingly busy tinkering with the machine he was using as cover.  
" _Just one of 'em between me and the exit. Seems about my level._ " He thought. " _Alright, I can do this…_ "

As carefully as he could, Cobalt began tiptoeing out from his hiding spot, sneaking past the unwary octarian. Upon closer inspection, this particular octarian appears different from the rest, being an octotrooper with two tentacles whose body appears to have been haphazardly painted black, with a tool belt draped around its body.  
Unfortunately, the masked inkling had yet to learn to watch the floor when he was supposed to keep quiet. His foot scraped past a wrench discarded on the floor, the tool making a scraping sound.

Cobalt flinched, turning to look at the octotrooper. It perked up, but fortunately for him didn't turn around to take a look at him.

"Hmm? Someone there?" The octotrooper spoke with a woman's voice, a rustic accent prevalent. "Didn't think that anyone'd be visiting good ol' me."  
"Erm… I'm just passing by." Cobalt replied sheepishly. "I'll just be on my way."  
"Really? You don't sound like any of my buddies. New to the labs?" The octotrooper said, "Name's Heather. Heather of the Under-Sea-Dogs. Pleased to meet-cha."

"Under-Sea-Dogs? Sounds like a familiar name. I can't remember where I've heard it from though." Cobalt took a few cautious steps towards the hatch, making sure not to alert the octotrooper.  
"Seriously? You've never heard of us? You must've been living under a rock!" Heather laughed, tossing aside a screwdriver before picking up the wrench on the floor, all without looking away from the machine. "We're basically the ones that keep watch over Sector 0 from any intruders. Not like I ever get any thanks for keeping watch for enemy threats though. All that praise I'm supposed to have goes to those two octolings. I mean, seriously? One of them just constantly runs off somewhere to snooze it up!"  
"Mmhmm." Cobalt was uninterested, focusing hard to not make his footsteps too loud.

"Funny story, now that I mention it." She continued, picking up an acetylene torch and a welding mask before welding a few parts together. "Just yesterday, I saw this inkling plummet from the sky. If ya can keep a secret, I'm thinking that if I could be the one to splat that intruder, maybe I could be the one that can have all that limelight to myself. I mean, I used to be pretty darn popular around here, until those two octolings showed up. Then everyone just ignores me just to kiss their boots, I just spend all my down here nowadays, tinkering with my pride and joy."

Cobalt paused midstep. The fact that this particular octarian knew of his presence even before he entered the base wasn't something he could ignore.  
"So about those…intruders." He said, choosing his words carefully. "Would your friends happen to know anything about them?"  
"As a matter of fact, yeah!" Heather replied enthusiastically. "I got some other buddies down here. Morgan, Clarence, and… well, that's pretty much my friends in the Under-Sea-Dogs. I've been told that they've seen inklings all around where they've been keeping watch as well, so we cooked up this plan. We'll be the ones to be cornering 'em and splatting 'em, so that we'll be the ones with the recognition! Honestly, I'm tired of all this 'if you have fewer tentacles you're less deserving of attention' system, I'd love to do something about it! We've all agreed on that."

"That's… interesting." Cobalt was hoping that Callie was listening, but he couldn't confirm it without Heather realizing he was bad company. He opted to attempt to keep her focus diverted. "So… what's that machine you got there, anyway?"  
"Oh, this?" Heather hammered on the machine, smiling with pride. "This here's my personal ride! Most octotrooper hovercrafts are pretty darn slow, but I've upgraded this baby so that it can fly! Oh, and even better, check out these here plates on the sides! I've salvaged some of the rubble from the outer walls of the fortress and used it to make some additional armor. I can snap 'em shut in front of me, and when that happens nothing ink-based is getting through, not even an Inkstrike would faze 'em! I've been trying to iron out some faults with anything that just ignores 'em altogether though, so I infused some shock absorbers into the mix as well. It's a partial success, I still have this issue with overheating when those kick in, but that's what I'm trying to work on right 'ere."  
"Well, that's certainly intriguing. I'll just let you get on with that project then." Cobalt remarked, not really listening past the first few words as he finally reached the panel on the floor. With a few cautious steps, he proceeded to hop in, the inkling quickly disappearing down the shaft beyond.

"Okay, that'll do for now." Heather put the finishing touches on her machine, and closed the lid on the side, before looking around. "Ya know, thanks for bearing with my ranting, I was aching to have someone to talk to. I don't think I actually asked what your name was though. What is…"  
The octotrooper looked around puzzled, realizing there was no one else around. Frowning, she began looking around at where the source of the other voice was, before noticing the panel swinging shut, stopped short by the cables protruding from it.  
"What in the… I definitely didn't imagine that." Heather remarked. "Who was that?"  
"HEATHER!" An octoball rolled around the corner, hopping restlessly on the spot. "Thank goodness, you're not hurt!"  
"Slow down, compadre!" The octotrooper asked worriedly. "What's the problem?"  
"Haven't you heard?! There's been an intruder! An inkling of all things! He's escaped down here, and we've blocked off all the possible exits to make sure he doesn't slip past us!" The octoball explained. "But we haven't found him yet! Have you possibly seen or heard anything suspicious?"

Heather slowly looked around in thought, eventually her gaze turned to the panel, and where it led. A few seconds passed, before she put two and two together.  
"…SON OF A-"

* * *

 **AN: Well, that was quite an ordeal. For the ones that have been wondering where I've disappeared to for the past three weeks or so, my university education's started up a few days after I finished my last chapter. Suffice to say, I am not having a particularly pleasant moment with it, so delays were had.  
** **It's outdated news by this point, but I've heard that the very last Splatfest has ended. It's a shame I had to return to Australia for my education before it started, I could've participated. But more to the point, with all Splatfests ended, doesn't that make this story rather pointless? Ah, I suppose that there's still the various issues occurring in the story to deal with.  
** **Oh, and for the select few noticing a couple of familiar faces that technically don't belong here, there's a reason for that. Tai and Aussie aren't actually my characters, but rather ThePizzaLovingTurtle's which I pretty much snatched without his permission but he's okay with it anyway so that's fine. Admittedly though that presents an interesting challenge where I want to strictly abide to their preset personalities for the sake of maintaining a reference, and yet trying to make it so that those unfamiliar of the fact would not find their presence out of place. It is something I spent quite a few hours mulling over and constantly reiterating, but I'm happy enough with the result.**


	29. Innocence of the Underdog

**Innocence of the Underdog**

* * *

A pleasant smell wafted through the air, carrying with it the scent of freshly baked bread and lightly seasoned fish. Carried by a passing draft, the aroma slowly wafted across the room.  
Eventually, it settled over a certain sleeping girl, the scent sinking down onto the snoring inkling and enveloping her body, waking her up instantly.

"*yawn*…What's that smell?" Katelyn mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "Oh! Morning, Granny!"  
"Good morning dearie!" Granny replied, looking up from a partly disassembled device in front of her. "Breakfast is on the table."

Groggily, Katelyn stumbled off of her mattress and sat in front of the dining table, a basket of bread and a plate of fish placed before her. Sampling a bite of fish steak, all traces of drowsiness swiftly vacated Katelyn as a myriad of flavors assaulted her taste buds.  
"Oh, man. It'd be hard to go back to regular food after eating all this!" The inkling remarked, turning to look at the elderly Octoball with a look of respect. "Seriously Granny, you really gotta teach me how you cook sometime!"  
"Ah, you flatter me, dear!" Granny replied, smiling humbly. "It's not as hard as you might believe. All it takes is a certain amount of intuition, but I'm sure that growing my own produce helps tremendously! Heh heh heh!"

Nibbling on a piece of bread, Katelyn looked around the small house, noticing a certain child absent. "Say… Where did Timmy go? I don't see him anywhere."  
"Oh, Timmy's gone out to play. He didn't want to wake you up, so he went out to the farm by himself." The elderly Octoball fastened a screw onto the contraption before her, turning to examine it from multiple angles. "You slept much longer than I had thought, Katelyn. I almost thought you won't wake up even before lunch is ready!"  
"A farm? Oh right, Timmy mentioned something about a farm…" Katelyn swallowed the last mouthful of fish fillet on her plate, setting her utensils aside. "I'd love to see it! Where is it, anyway?"  
"Just down the road, a dirt path between the two neighboring houses. You can't miss it."

Examining the device with care, Granny carefully polished it with a piece of cloth. Katelyn turned to look at the contraption, which resembled a makeshift sprinkler of some sort.  
"Just that lil' spot, and… done." Granny wiped one last dollop of grease from the sprinkler, looking up at Katelyn as she shoved the device gently at her direction. "Here you go, dearie. On your way to the farm, could you do this old lady a favor and install this sprinkler for me? Just set it onto the machine next to the sign marked 'Wheat', the automated system should do the rest."  
"Sure!" Accepting the device, Katelyn carried it in her left arm, getting up from the chair and making for the door. "Consider it a job done, Granny!"

The elderly octoball watched as Katelyn bolted straight out of the doorway, chuckling to herself as she did so.  
"Ohoho… she's certainly energetic. I should get to lunch before those two get back…" Climbing out of the chair slowly, Granny proceeded to hobble towards a nearby basket filled with potatoes, picking out and peeling a handful with superb efficiency.

* * *

Rushing out of Granny's shack, Katelyn briefly looked around as she crossed the street. A small handful of octarians happened to be passing by, presumably on their daily rounds. To her surprise, most of them barely reacted to her presence, only acknowledging her existence with a sideways nervous glance before either scampering off or flying away quicker than usual.

"Erm… you there. Excuse me?" An octotrooper with two tentacles who happened to be pushing a trolley filled with scrap metal stopped in his tracks, turning to look at Katelyn, looking just as nervous as the other octarians that passed by. "Are you… acquainted with the old lady that lives in this house, by any chance?"  
"Oh, me?" The inkling glanced around awkwardly, before replying. "If you're asking if I know Granny, yeah. She just sent me out to the farm to install something."  
"Ah…" the octotrooper visibly relaxed, his tentacles drooping with relief. "Okay. I'm also on my way to the fields. If you want, you can tag along."  
"Sure, why not?" Walking alongside the trolley-pushing octotrooper, Katelyn crossed the street onto the dirt part that lay beyond.

Past the corrugated steel that composed the houses, the fields consist of large swathes of farmland. Lit by the gentle light from the fallen bulb, the acres of plowed land have multiple variants of plant life being grown. As Katelyn passed by a field of tomatoes, a network of pipes that lay on the side of the dirt path began to shudder as water began to flow through, the liquid eventually cascading from an unseen sprinkler in the middle of the field. The inkling watched in awe as the yellow light illuminating the dome shone through the droplets flowing through the air, rainbow colors shimmering over the fields.

"Beautiful sight, ain't it? We're proud to have set up a system like that down here." The trolley pushing octotrooper said, looking at Katelyn. "So… why's there an inkling like you hanging around these parts? There's nothing that should interest something like you down here."  
"My name's Katelyn. And… well, I'm just passing through." Katelyn replied, looking at the octotrooper curiously. "But never mind that, um… whatever your name is, aren't you supposed to be… scared of me or something?"  
"Morris. Just call me Morris." The Octotrooper introduced himself, "I'm not really scared of you, if that's what you're asking. Most of the young'ums down here never saw an Inkling at all, only the really old folks remember what they look like. I mean, you don't look like any octoling I've ever seen, so I just assumed you're one of 'em."

The trolley bumped over a small rock, disturbing a piece of metal on top of the pile. As the scrap clattered onto the floor, Katelyn stooped to replace it back onto the trolley, Morris acknowledging the act with a curt nod.  
"I guess… that makes sense." Katelyn turned to look at Morris, a look of uncertainty in her eyes. "Is that all though?"  
"Well, you managed to get Granny's approval, that's enough confirmation from me that you're one of the nice ones. She's a sharp one, that octoball. Don't let her demeanor fool ya, she used to fight on the front lines all the way back in the Great Turf War." The octotrooper chuckled to himself. "'Rumbling Colonel Boulder', they used to call her. I can't imagine how much of a pain she must've been during her glory days."

The inkling's jaw fell in shock. "Wait, seriously?!"  
"I wish I was joking. But it's true!" Morris laughed. "But despite her track record, she's the only one round here that wishes to let bygones be bygones. All her fellow soldiers that live here think she's gone senile, but the rest of us want to just get on with our lives and not let something like that weigh us down."  
Katelyn turned back towards the road, recalling the kind words that Granny spoke to her yesterday while they drank tea together. It was proving difficult to imagine the same individual knocking over inkling soldiers like bowling pins in the middle of a battlefield.

"Oh, wait just a moment." Katelyn stopped in her tracks as the two passed by a wheat field. In stark contrast to the adjacent farmland, there was no water being fed to this particular field, the plants already looking a bit wrinkled from the lack of water. Examining the pipe system close to it, Katelyn noticed a receptacle in the floor, a sign labelled 'Wheat' hanging next to it.  
Withdrawing the sprinkler being carried in her arm, the inkling carefully slotted the device onto the hole in the ground. There were sounds of whirring and clicking, after which the sprinkler swiftly vanished into the dirt, reappearing in the middle of the field before water began flowing through the nearby pipes, a gush of water reinvigorating the wheat.

"Well, I'm definitely impressed." Katelyn took a few steps back, taking care not to get hit by any stray droplets. "We've got something similar up on the surface, some place called Kelp Dome. This setup's not as cool, but considering that all you guys have to build all this is scrap metal, that's something else…"  
"Well, you know what they say, 'Necessity is the mother of invention', something along the lines of that." Morris shrugged, "We might even be able to build a superweapon out of salvage and ink if we got the time and resources."  
"Uh…" Katelyn stared at the octotrooper with a deadpan expression, the latter taking up a look of embarrassment as he realized what he just said.  
"Oh… um… y-you know, figuratively speaking." Morris spluttered, as the two continued along their stroll, "I mean, I'm not wrong, but who'd be dumb enough to do that, anyway?"

Somewhere above several layers of rock, a certain octarian leader sneezed loudly.

* * *

Several minutes of walking and casual banter later, the dirt path before the two individuals eventually split into two. The left path snaked towards what looks to be a makeshift junkyard piled high with all manners of metal and concrete in the far distance, while the rightward pathway curved downhill onto a large barn that seemed to have been patched up with pieces of corrugated steel in various places. In front of the barn stood a wide concrete field, in which a certain octotrooper child could be seen moving around on a pair of skates by himself, much to Katelyn's delight.

"Oh, I see Granny's little kid is out again today." Morris said, nudging the trolley towards the left path, "That right there's Timmy. He's-"  
"I know who he is." Katelyn interrupted, not noticing a serene smile creeping up on her face as she watched the child clumsily skate around, "He's the first octarian I ran into when I came here. Nice kid, that one."  
"Ah, I see. No need for the introductions then." With a huff, Morris began pushing the trolley down the left path, briefly pausing as he noticed the inkling walking in the other direction. "Oh, I guess this is YOUR stop, huh? Well, I'll be seeing you around, girlie!"  
"You too!" With one last wave at the octotrooper's direction, Katelyn turned back towards the right path, running down to greet Timmy on the field.

"HEEEEEY! Timmy! I'm here!" Katelyn cried cheerfully, waving at the tiny octotrooper child as she ran over the last hill before the concrete field. Hearing her, the child spun abruptly on the spot, his face lighting up significantly by the sight of the energetic inkling.  
"KATELYN! You came!" Timmy exclaimed, trudging towards the inkling. "I wanted to bring you here, but you were asleep. Granny didn't let me wake you up, so I came here first."  
"Hehe. Well, I'm here now." Katelyn giggled, patting the child in the back. "So, what would you like to play?"  
"Hmm…" Timmy tapped his forehead with his solitary tentacle for a moment, screwing up his eyes in concentration. Eventually, his eyelids snapped open as an idea came to him. "Oh, I know, I know! Follow me! I got something to show you!"

With Katelyn in tow, Timmy skated to the right side of the barn, where a couple of bundles of hay were stacked up on a messy pile. The child rummaged around behind the hay bundles, withdrawing a pair of skates that were much larger than the ones Timmy were wearing. In fact, they were about the right size for the inkling to wear.

"Skates?" Katelyn asked, examining the footwear closely.  
"Yep!" Timmy replied, "Those belonged to my sister. Morgan told me that she's gone on a long trip away from home though. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you borrowed them for a bit, I guess."  
"Ah… I... I see." Without saying another word, Katelyn slipped off her Cherry Kicks, stuffing them in her backpack before slowly putting on the rollerblades. It was a tighter fit than she expected, but a few wriggles later, it felt like a snug fit.

"Granny's told me about Anna." Katelyn eventually spoke up, unable to keep herself quiet as she began fastening the clasps on the skates. "She's been… gone for a while. Don't you miss having her around?"

"Mmm, sometimes." Timmy replied. "We used to come out here together to play. Sometimes we talk, about many things. I don't really understand all of it, but I love talking to her."

"It must be tough, without her to hang around with." Katelyn's fingers twitched slightly, fumbling with one of the clasps, "Aren't you lonely?"

"Not really!" The octotrooper child replied happily. "I have Granny, and Morgan. There's also the other children, I play with them a lot. And now I've got you here with me right now! I've always got good people around me."

"I see." Katelyn stopped to give Timmy a small pat on the back, smiling serenely as she did so. "You're a lucky kid, you know that?"  
The child beamed back, a wide grin on his face. "Mmhmm!"

With one last click, Katelyn eventually finished locking the last clasp on her skates into place and stood up quickly, only to momentarily lose balance as she skidded on the spot and nearly landed face first onto the concrete, barely holding herself up by her arms.  
"WOAH!" The inkling cried out, gripping onto and climbing up a nearby wall for support, "Eh… heh heh, this is quite different from skiing…"  
"Are you okay, Big Sis?" Timmy asked, hurriedly running up to her.  
"Yeah, yeah. Just give me a few moments…" Slowly pushing herself off the wall, Katelyn experimentally gave her new footwear a couple of experimental stomps, before taking a few tentative steps away from her support. "O-okay, this isn't that much different from ice-skating... I can do this…"

With a huff, Katelyn kicked off the ground, propelling herself forward. Experimentally, she mimicked her leg movements as she did when ice-skating, and was relieved to discover that the philosophy was more or less identical. With an excited cry, the inkling spun round at the octotrooper child, beckoning him to join her.  
"COME ON!"

With a delighted giggle, Timmy skated forward and chased after Katelyn. The next few hours passed by like a blur, the duo participating in various activities that could only be summed up as mindlessly meandering about on the concrete field. After what felt like an eternity of laughter and delightful vertigo to the highly energetic inkling, she collapsed onto the floor along with Timmy, laughing raucously as they did so.  
"Hahaha-ha…heh….whew!" Katelyn wheezed, her chest heaving as she hyperventilated. "That… that was…"  
"THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!" Timmy yelled, his solitary tentacle was ever so slightly drooping from exhaustion, but apart from that the tiny octotrooper was not demonstrating any sign that he was fatigued. "I still got one more trick to show you! C'mon!"  
"W-what?!" The inkling heaved an exhausted laugh, unable to believe what she just heard. "Y-you're simply unbelievable…! Sorry Timmy, I'll… I'll just sit here and watch, yeah?"  
"Aww…" The octotrooper child seemed slightly disappointed, but he still got up smiling regardless. "Okay! Check out what I can do with these!"

Katelyn watched as Timmy got up from next to her and skated towards the barn, stopping next to a nearby wall. The tiny octotrooper's eyes screwed up in concentration, backing up slightly before he hopped straight towards the wall, skates raised.  
Instinctively, Katelyn reached out an arm as Timmy seemingly flung himself headfirst towards the wall at full speed, moments from a serious concussion. "W-watch out! What are you-"

But then, the inkling's jaw fell in disbelief as Timmy seemingly adhered himself to the wall, and skated upwards while leaving a trail of fuchsia ink behind him. Stopping as he neared the roof, he slowly slid back downward, climbing off the side of the wall as he did so.  
"Isn't that cool?!" He asked cheerfully. "My sister taught me that one herself!"  
"What the… how were you doing that?!" Katelyn asked, confused. "Are those normal skates you're wearing?"

Out of curiosity, Katelyn looked down on her own pair of skates, and was surprised to notice a series of small tubes extended next to the wheels. She didn't notice it before, but a trickle of lavender ink was ever so slightly leaking from the tubes, lubricating the wheels as it did so.  
"Timmy…" Katelyn asked, eyeing the skates suspiciously, "Where did you and your sister find these skates?"  
"Oh, those were gifts, from Morgan!" The child answered, skating back to Katelyn's side. "He knew a friend that was this REAAAALLY good engineer, and she made those for us!"  
"Well, whoever she was, she's certainly impressed me." Noticing that there was no longer fatigue in her legs, Katelyn carefully got up from her sitting position, standing up again albeit with a slight wobble between her knees. "Ugh, how long have we been playing? I shouldn't be this tired!"

"…Oh!" Timmy's eyes widened as he remembered something crucial. "It's almost lunch time! We gotta hurry back to Granny!"  
"Really?" A swift glance at her watch notified Katelyn that it was close to noon. "Wow, it really is true that time flies when you're having fun."  
"Come on! I'll race you back home!" Before Katelyn could reply, the octotrooper child turned round, and raced towards the pathway.  
"HEY! No head starts allowed!" The inkling girl laughed, chasing after Timmy despite her exhaustion.

* * *

Not even two fields later, Katelyn was panting heavily from lack of breath. In the distance, she could see Timmy hopping up and down, gesturing at her to keep up.

"Oh, man…" Katelyn mumbled to herself, "Children… really are something else… Bleh…"  
"I can certainly see that." A voice crackled through Katelyn's headset, "I never understand myself where they get all that energy from."  
"Totally agree on that one… wait, Marie?" The inkling fumbled slightly with the speaker, "Just how long have you been watching?"  
"Ever since you left that octoball's house." Marie replied, "I heard everything too, I just didn't want to interrupt. You've certainly gotten chummy with them real quick, haven't you?"

Katelyn rubbed her head, somewhat embarrassed. "It's… a habit of mine."  
"Well, being the cultural ambassador aside," There was a tone of concern in Marie's voice, which Katelyn picked up on, "Seems like someone's aware you're down there, along with the others. By the sounds of it, they're not exactly friendly either."

"Wait, what?" Alerted, Katelyn stood up straight as she looked around, "You sure about that?"

"100% certain. Callie's relaying the news to me as we speak. They call themselves the Under-Sea-Dogs, some first-response group that lurks down there. I dunno about you, but I'd say you'd want to get out of the area as soon as you can. You do know how to get to Smokestack from where you are, do you?"

"Yeah, I know. I'll just let Granny know I'll be leaving first , then I'll rendezvous with the others."

"Roger that. Oh, and…"

Katelyn paused in the middle of hanging up. "Hmm? What else?"

"…I haven't heard anything from Chris and Mei-Lin since yesterday. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried." A sigh exhaled through the headset speakers. "Do be careful, okay?"

"…Yeah, I know." Without saying another word, Katelyn terminated the call, and hurried up towards Timmy as he went over yet another hill.

* * *

"What's wrong, dear? Is something troubling you?"

Katelyn snapped out of a daze in the middle of playing with her food. Noticing Granny's concerned stare, she quickly put up a strained smile. "…Huh? O-oh, it's nothing…"  
"What's wrong, Katelyn? Are you not hungry?" Timmy asked, eyeing the plate of spaghetti that she was playing with. "I'd have your share if you don't mind!"  
"Heh. It's okay Timmy, I'm fine." Katelyn reassured, "I… I just need a few moments to myself."

Nibbling on another mouthful of spaghetti, Katelyn tried to look elsewhere. The creamy taste of the sauce accompanying the noodles wasn't enough to dissipate her worries, however. The news that there hasn't been a peep from Chris and Mei-Lin since yesterday was enough to dampen the mood.  
" _And on top of that, while those two are possibly in trouble, I'm just here eating lunch…_ " The inkling thought to herself, " _I can't stay here for long, they might need me._ "

"Are you sure you're fine?" Granny insisted, "I may have only one eye, but even I can see that troubled expression that you're wearing right now, even when you're eating my prepared meals. Is there something you're reluctant to talk about? Possibly involving those friends of yours?"

"Oh… I…" Katelyn internally groaned. Morris was not kidding when he mentioned Granny being a sharp-eyed octoball. "…yeah, you're right. I haven't heard from them since yesterday. I'm worried that something might've happened to them."

"Well, in that case you could ask Morgan for help!" Timmy replied cheerily, "He helps a lot of people, and he's really nice to me! I'm sure he'll help you if you ask!"  
"Really, huh?" Katelyn leaned over and gently patted Timmy in the head, "Maybe you could tell me about him?"  
"Well, he belongs to this group that makes sure that we all live here safely. I think they're called… um… the Under-Sea-Dogs?"

Katelyn paled. "Oh… That's….a weird name…"

"Really? I think it sounds cool." Timmy replied, "Still, maybe you should-"

Abruptly, the sound of helicopter blades came from outside, growing stronger and stronger as the source grew nearer. Hearing this, Timmy suddenly perked up.  
"Oh, it's Morgan! He's coming over to visit!" He said, "C'mon, let's go meet him!"  
"Ah… Um… I…" Katelyn stammered, looking around. "Erm… Granny, don't suppose you know where the bathroom is?"  
The elderly octoball looked at her skeptically, before a snap of realization dawned on her face. "Ah… I see. It's just round the back."

"Thanks!" Rushing out of her chair, Katelyn quickly ran into the room in the back, slamming the door shut in the process. With her mind preoccupied up till that point however, she had forgotten to take off the skates she was wearing even after she returned. One frantic skid and a crash later, Katelyn was properly aware of her surroundings, more specifically the mild swelling on her thigh.  
" _…ow…_ " Katelyn thought to herself, massaging the injury on her leg. " _I should've taken those blasted things off before I ate…_ "  
In the darkness of the bathroom, Katelyn tried to make her breathing as shallow as she could, listening closely to the outside of the door as she did so. The helicopter noise seemed to slow down and stop, before she could hear footsteps entering the living room. Pressing an ear towards the steel door, she could barely make out a conversation being passed around.

"…Timmy! How goes my favorite kiddo in the civilian district!" A gruff male voice exclaimed, "Good to see you're healthy as always, Granny!"  
"Good to see you too, Morgan." Granny's voice replied.

"MORGAN!" There was the sound of tiny footsteps running, and a slight bump as Timmy ran into something. "I've got something to tell you!"  
"Really, huh? Let's hear it, kiddo!"  
"Okay! Listen, listen! I made a new friend!"  
"Oh, is that so? Who's the lucky winner?"  
"She's this nice lady named Katelyn! She went skating with me today, and we had so much fun!"  
"You make quite a lot of friends, don't you Timmy?" Morgan's voice laughed, "No one can resist such an adorable face like yours! Haha!"

Despite the fact that she could possibly in a grave predicament and was trying to not as much movement to the likely hostile octarian just outside, Katelyn couldn't help but flash a content smile.  
" _Heehee… Yeah, we did…_ " She thought to herself.

"It's good for you to drop by, Morgan." Granny's voice interjected, "But surely you must've come by for a reason…?"  
"Ah, yes! I can't believe that slipped my mind, this is important." There was a slight scuffle of footsteps as Timmy ran back to the dining table. "Granny, have you by perchance seen an inkling here recently?"  
"Oh? An inkling, you say? Why do you ask?"  
There was a slight pause, as Morgan hesitated. "It's… for the sake of everyone's safety. I've been informed a squadron of inklings have entered Sector 0. We can't risk a single one slipping off our radar."  
"And that has nothing to do with that master plan you and your group have going, I presume? Why do you still pursue something so trivial?"

There was the sound of flesh impacting steel. "Dammit, Granny! It's not just a trivial matter, it's for all our sakes! Aren't you tired of being treated as pay-dirt? If we capture an inkling, then surely we would be more than just simply those useless dregs with only one limb to speak of-"  
"Morgan! That's enough!" Katelyn was surprised to hear Granny sounding so stern, in contrast to her usual gentle tone. "We are just as much a part of Octavio's army as his beloved octolings, and I won't hear another word about it!"  
"…you still don't understand, do you?" The disappointment was thick in Morgan's voice. "Very well, I won't intrude any longer. I'll be taking my leave then."

Katelyn could hear footsteps slowly walk away from her position, but they stopped seemingly a short distance away from the door.  
"Cooked a bit too much again, Granny?" She could hear Morgan say, "You seem to have an extra plate of spaghetti on the table."  
"…yes." Granny replied flatly, "I was thinking about her again. Before I knew it, I've..."  
"…I can sympathize. It's hard for me to forget too. I still wonder sometimes, if things had gone differently…"  
"Granny? What's he talking about?" Timmy's voice asked.  
"You'll understand when you're older, kiddo." Morgan replied. "I have to go now. If you'll excuse me…"

With that being said, the footsteps continued out of the front door and faded away, before the sound of helicopter propellers buzzed through the air, and that too drifted into silence. Making sure that the coast is clear, Katelyn opened the door, and sat back down onto the dining table. An awkward silence hung in the air for a couple of moments as Granny watched the spot where the Under-Sea-Dogs member was earlier.  
"…What was that all about?" Katelyn eventually spoke up.  
"Poor Morgan… short-sighted as ever." Granny muttered. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, dear."  
"What's wrong with him, Granny?" Timmy asked, confused. "He was really loud today."  
"He's just feeling lost, Timmy. I'm sure he'll get over it in the near future." Turning back at Katelyn, Granny gave her a solemn look. "Now, Katelyn. Perhaps it would be a good idea if you leave the civilian district as soon as possible. I don't think I need to tell you that you must hurry to the aid of your friends if they are indeed in a grave predicament."

"I know what you mean. I'll finish off lunch as soon as… Oh, right!" Katelyn bent down to take off the skates that she was still wearing. "I need to return these-"  
"Wait, there is no need to return them." Granny interrupted. "I'd like you to hold on to those skates, Katelyn."  
The inkling paused in the middle of fiddling with the cuffs. "Huh? But don't these belong to-"  
"All the more reason I wish you to take them far away from here, dear." The elderly octoball absentmindedly turned back towards the front door. "It would be for the best to not leave any of Anna's belongings here where they will eventually gather dust. If anything, I'm certain Anna would not mind if you put them to good use."

"I guess when you put it that way…" Katelyn said, going back to the half-finished spaghetti.

* * *

"So…. This is it then?"

Giving a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure she bought everything she had with her, Katelyn prepared to leave Granny's abode, placing a hand over the frame of the front door as she met her gaze with the two octarians before her.  
"Time certainly flies, doesn't it?" Granny replied. "Of course, this old lady sees time pass by a lot faster than usual, anyway."  
"Yeah, you're right. Still…" Katelyn stooped down to meet Timmy at eye level, giving off a smile. "It's only been one day, but we still had a lot of fun, haven't we?"  
"It was! I hope you come back soon to play again, Big Sis!" Timmy cheerfully replied, hopping on the spot.

Katelyn's smile dropped by a slight fraction, as the unpleasant thought of never being able to return here abruptly occurred to her. "…I hope so too, Timmy."

Without another word, Katelyn waved goodbye to the two octarians that played host to her, and walked down the spiral path. Their persistent goodbyes lingered in the air for a while, before distance finally silenced them.

" _Well… I better not stick around any longer… I need to hurry._ " Katelyn thought to herself. But even as she did so, her daze drifted absentmindedly from the fallen light bulb in the far distance down to the skates she still wore.

"… _didn't Octavio say that this place would soon be buried in rubble?_ " This distressing thought shot through her mind like an arrow. " _I can't allow Timmy and everyone here to die like that! We're getting this stupid cross, and then we'll rescue everyone!_ " With a huff, she broke into a frantic skate, surprising any civilians along the way that passed her by.

Not even halfway down the spiral, Katelyn was gasping for breath yet again, leaning at a nearby fence for support. Various octarians were giving her a wide berth, some bewildered at the sight of the inkling, while others were too cautious to approach.  
"ARGH! Blast my stamina!" Katelyn grumbled, "C'mon legs, you can still work!"

"I knew you would show yourself, sooner or later… inkling." A familiar voice interjected, spitting out the last word like it was poison.

"!" Alarmed, Katelyn looked up at the source of the voice. Perched atop one of the corrugated roofs, there was what appears to be an octocopter staring straight back. In stark contrast to the other octocopters she had seen however, this one appears to have crudely painted his own body black, and he was attached by the head to a disproportionately large bird-like vehicle at least 5 times his size with four massive helicopter blades at the very top and two robotic claws with six cruelly serrated talons on each one protruding at the base, the talons flashing menacingly at the shocked inkling.

"Who- who are you?" Katelyn asked, her fingers slowly creeping towards the Inkbrush strapped to her back.  
"I am Morgan. Member of the Under-Sea-Dogs, and guardian of the civilian district!" The strange-looking octocopter replied solemnly, "And I believe you are trespassing."  
Katelyn did a double take as she recognized both the voice and the name associated with it. "I…I want no trouble with you, mister. I am only here on an errand-"

"LIAR!" Morgan interrupted. "I know of your companions here in Sector 0. No doubt you and your kind seek to sabotage our way of living! I will give you five seconds to comply…"  
"W-wait!" Katelyn frantically looked around, only seeing the octarians around her quickly retreating into their homes, and realizing that things were about to get messy. "Surely we can work something out?"

"I am not giving you a choice." Morgan spat back. "You leave me with no other course of action!"

The talons on Morgan's vehicle snapped open, revealing a twin set of Splatling nozzles dripping with fuchsia ink. Katelyn immediately paled at the sight, and darted off down the path in a panic.  
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" The octotrooper barked, flailing as he did so. "Dammit, you stupid machine! Take off faster!" A few seconds later, the helicopter blades whirred quickly, and Morgan took off in pursuit of the escaping inkling, winding up his weapons as he did so.

* * *

Katelyn's breathing was irregular. Not only was she once again skating down the spiral path as quickly as her legs would allow, she was now directly under aerial assault by a deadly salvo of ink that trailed closely behind her. Terrified by the sounds of gunfire, the octarians in her way were scrambling out of her way with expressions of shock and panic that closely mirrored her own.  
In desperation, Katelyn spun around and flung a few globules of lavender ink straight back at her pursuer with her Inkbrush. They flew far from their intended target however, and as she noticed a stray projectile land barely an inch away from a shivering straggler, she decided to focus on running away again, not in the mood to be responsible for potential collateral damage.

"…running… moving fast… sounds of gunfire… are you even listening…" What sounded like Marie crackled through her headphones. Not being able to catch even half of what the pop star said, Katelyn yelled back in desperation.  
"MARIE! I'm being attacked!" She spluttered, "HELP ME OUT HERE!"  
"Agh, there's no need to shout! I can hear you just fine!" Marie complained, "But that can wait! Have you completely forgotten about those skates of yours?!"  
"The skates?!" Katelyn briefly looked down, almost tripping on a loose pebble. "What good would they even-"  
"THEY CAN STICK TO WALLS! I mean, I dunno if that might even work with you, but it's not like you got time to worry about that right now! THINK FAST!"

"Wait! What do you mean they-" The inkling paused as she remembered Timmy's particular stunt. "Ulp. Here goes…"  
Spotting a conveniently slanted roof ahead of her, Katelyn concentrated as hard as she could, attempting to imagine ink flooding out of her footwear. To her surprise, she noticed that she began leaving a trail of lavender behind her. With a frantic hop, she jumped onto the roof, sweating nervously as she jumped from that onto a nearby wall, then onto another roof, skipping entire cycles of the spiral as she did so.

Seeing this, Morgan abruptly paused midflight, his salvo of ink dying down.  
"Wait, those skates…" He said to himself. "Didn't those belong to…"

Several seconds passed before the Under-Sea-Dog member realized the significance.

"…I see. That's who you played with, Timmy?" He muttered to himself. "Hmph. Consider yourself lucky, inkling. I am not that heartless."  
With a disappointed grumble, Morgan turned back, and flew into the far distance.

* * *

The fallen lightbulb at the very center of the civilian district, while diminished and giving off much less light than before, still generates enough heat to deter the local octarians from getting too close. Regardless of such however, there was a simple chain fence that circled the light source, benches lining parallel to the fence where octarians gathered to relax. As it is the afternoon however, most of the civilians are away from that spot in the middle of their errands, aside from two particular octotroopers that were slacking off on the benches, attempting to get a peaceful undisturbed snooze.

At least, until a screaming and flailing figure careened from a nearby roof, slamming hard onto the dirt and leaving a furrow behind her.

"Ooooog…" Katelyn groaned as the slacking octotroopers ran off screaming, "I'm never doing that again."

Picking herself up from the ground, Katelyn surveyed her surroundings, averting her eyes slightly from the glow of the light bulb. It was then she noticed the absence of her pursuer.  
"Hmm, where'd Morgan go?" She asked no one in particular, looking around the skies, "I don't see or hear him anymore."  
"You were moving pretty quickly there. Those skates really are something else." Marie's voice suggested. "Maybe he lost you?"  
"Mmm… I don't think so…" Katelyn looked down at her skates, still trailing ink. "I get the feeling he let me go somehow…"  
"Well, whatever the reason, best not to dwell on it for now." Marie urged, "I can see the way down from here. C'mon, you've gotta be behind schedule." Without saying another word, she terminated the call.

Katelyn nodded, noticing the obvious trapdoor just a few feet from the fallen lightbulb, a trail of cables leading from it onto the bulb itself. With a grunt of effort, she pulled open the hatch, climbing into the hole.  
" _Mei-Lin, Cobalt, Chris, hang in there. I'm on my way!_ " She thought to herself, before disappearing down into the depths below.

* * *

 **AN: Oh man, how long has it been?! Three months since the last entry, maybe closer to four than three by my estimate!**

 **As some of you might've guessed, there's a reason why I've disappeared for a while like that. I won't go into too much detail, but a particularly personal matter happened, and I pretty much lost all my ability to write for a while. It's only now, when I've came back home to spend time with my family, that I've recovered sufficiently to start writing again. There are other reasons, some of which involve general decline in interest concerning Splatoon and whatnot, but given that it still occupies my mind, I'd imagine it pales in comparison to the personal matters.  
But enough about my excuses. While I doubt there's anyone left even remotely interested in this story (3.5 months is longer than many an audience's attention span), I will still try to put out chapters as much as I can attempt to. After taking such a long break, I can't guarantee I can put out another chapter soon-ish, but only time will tell.**

 **As always, I'd eagerly ask for reviews. I'm certain that this long of a hiatus means I've accumulated rust...**


	30. Fortitude of the Underdog

**Fortitude of the Underdog**

* * *

Chris stared at the encyclopedia in his hands for a few moments, turning the object in his hands while examining the heavily weathered cover before opening it. To his surprise, the contents of the book scattered all over the floor before him, the pages having deteriorated to nothing but scraps of indecipherable paper.  
"Ugh… this one's also useless." He grumbled under his breath. Tossing what remained of the book behind him, he turned to watch it land on top of a growing mound of what was once undoubtedly valued literature, now reduced to dust and paper scraps.

It has been hours since Chris agreed to split up with John and Mark so they could scour the Grand Library faster, what with the urgency of the mission at hand. Even going their separate ways was not enough to mitigate the time needed to search for a way into the archives, however.  
What certainly doesn't help either was the state of the building itself. There doesn't appear to be anyone maintaining the Grand Library, and as a result much of the structure has deteriorated heavily. Chris remembered various instances during his romp from one bookshelf to the next where the concrete floor creaked ominously as he walked past and even one instance where a stair he stood on outright collapsed. It was probably for the best that inklings have a knack of surviving falls from high altitudes, or he would've been reduced to a mess of mangled limbs right then and there.

On top of that, the absence of any library staff also meant that time has taken its toll on the books themselves. If the books didn't outright disintegrate into scraps when Chris opened them, they were either coated in damp mold or for a curious few were badly burnt. Any hope of being able to salvage any of the knowledge the octarians amassed in the course of centuries has so far proved fruitless.

"Just makes you want to give up, doesn't it?" A familiar voice remarked. Glancing upwards, Chris noticed Jensen perched on top of a bookshelf, seemingly absorbed by a book he was reading.

"…" Chris ignored the inkling, moving down another row and examining the spines of the books before him.

"I mean, who knows what all this once was?" Jensen continued, lobbing the book aside. The object didn't make a sound as it landed. "I could take a guess. Classic literature, scientific notes, design plans… Maybe even medical journals."

"Nnngh…" Still trying to ignore the other inkling, Chris tried to carefully withdraw one of the books before him from the shelf, but to his surprise the entire row of books fell apart into sawdust the moment he touched it. Mumbling obscenities under his breath, he moved to an adjacent bookshelf.

"Not much to find here now, really." Jensen was now lying down on a shelf above Chris, his right arm dangling freely. "I mean, unless you're a connoisseur of the various smells of rotten wood."

"Jensen, you're not really helping here." Chris grumbled, recoiling as he swore the book he was about to remove actually growled at him. "Just pipe down, alright?"

A light fixture flickered, and now Jensen was sitting on top of a nearby glass case. "Well, I gotta keep you occupied somehow." He replied. "It's not good to keep your mind unoccupied for too long, it'll fall apart from disuse!"

"It's not good either for those two Agents to come along and hear me talking to myself." Chris retorted, "Keep it to-"

Chris paused midsentence. While it didn't catch his eye earlier, the glass case that Jensen was perched on was seemingly undamaged. Walking away from the bookshelf, the inkling stepped up to the case to examine the contents.  
"Hmm, what's up bro?" Jensen asked, hopping off the glass case. "Did something catch your interest?"  
"I… suppose you can say that." Chris replied. Inside the case, there was a leather bound book with gold trimmings, the title 'Compendium of Octarian Legends: Volume 1' emblazoned in fuchsia on the cover. In stark contrast to the other books nearby, this one appears to be in pristine condition. Interested, Chris began rummaging the case for the locking mechanism.

"You know, there's always the direct approach…" Jensen suggested.  
"I'd rather not." Chris declined. "Breaking the glass would be something that Cobalt would do… Besides, that would ruin the only book in here that's not going to immediately fall apart on me."  
"Heh, you got a point there."

It didn't take long for Chris to find the locking mechanism, which graciously was only a simple button latch without any visible lock. One click later, the glass case swung open, revealing the thick book inside.  
"Hmm…" Picking up the book, Chris placed it onto a nearby reading desk, before sitting down and flicking through a few of the pages.  
The book proved to be less useful than he had expected. Much of the info was unrelated to the task at hand, though perhaps in some other circumstance Chris would've been interested in perusing through a couple of the entries. There was however, one particular page that caught his interest:

"… _though_ _many claim that the tale of Paradise Lost was the first written legend, an opinion supported by Octoangelo, the one that painted the famous artwork associated with it, this is not true. There is a much older legend that preludes Paradise Lost by at least 7 centuries that is not as prevalent, due to the fact that rather than being in any written record it is passed down by word of mouth. Much like any legend passed down in this fashion, the details vary from storyteller to storyteller as it is told. There is, however, a chilling passage that stays consistent with every telling:_

As the serpent danced, the sky howled in fury,

The ground fractured, swallowing cities,

Baptized in flame, the land set alight,

Waves swept forth, as the creature sang.

'Come on down, come on down,' the Jörmungadr cried.

'May your luminescence bring forth the tides.'

And within an instant, the earth vanished.

None were spared, but the rubble left behind.

 _The 'Ballad of the_ _Jörmungadr_ ', _as it was called, was the center of various disputes when it came to the origins of the legend, specifically why that part stays consistent despite the countless times it was repeated again and again and deviates wildly over the passage of time. Some say that those that tell the legend are cursed to never deviate from this passage, serving as a warning to future generations._ "

"Well, Octarians certainly sucked at poetry." Jensen remarked, reading over Chris's shoulder. "Seems all rather dumb, don't you say?"

"Now you're beginning to sound like Cobalt." Chris replied, closing the book. "Don't do that, please."

"HEY!" A voice called out from behind Chris. "Did you find anything useful?"  
Chris turned around. In the distance, he could see John running up towards him from a flight of stairs.  
"Whew… Sure are a lot of stairs in this place." The Agent paused for breath, befoe looking around curiously. "Say, who were you talking to earlier? I thought I heard you speaking…"

"Oh." Chris replied flatly. A few sharp glances around the general vicinity confirmed that he and John are the only ones in the room right now. "I was talking to myself."  
A puzzled expression formed on John's face. "Yourself?"  
"Venting my frustrations, mostly. All the books on this floor are busted. Well…" Chris held up the intact book in his hands, before stuffing it in his backpack. "Aside from this one."

"Well if you're not occupied with playing the librarian, I could use your help." John replied, motioning towards the stairway, "Mark found something, think it's a door, but it's been blocked off by a boulder."  
"A boulder?" Chris repeated, perplexed.  
"Yeah… well you saw how much of a mess this place is. Come on, an extra set of limbs never hurts."  
"Alright then. Lead the way."

Without another word, John ran across the room and back down the stairway, with Chris following suit. As the two inklings went down the stairs and disappeared from view, neither of them noticed a strange haze floating above one of the bookshelves. With a fizzle of electricity, the haze began to materialize into a bipedal form as a camouflage system deactivated, revealing a black-painted octoball in a suit of two-legged power armor with disproportionately large mechanical fists and boots the same size as the octarian himself pressed flatly on the shelf.  
A fist floated off the wood, tapping the side of the armor as the unusual octoball activated a recording device.

"Mission Log: 035-21:" the octarian intoned, "Tracking the inkling that has invaded the Great Library district has led me to another within the actual building, and their most recent conversation hint at a possible third intruder in this location. From my vantage point, I see that both targets are armed with ink weapons."  
The octoball paused to think for a few seconds, before continuing. "A direct approach would be ill-advised. I shall stay out of view for now and observe their actions from a safe location for the time being, until an opportunity presents itself for a capture. Clarence, out."

The octarian named Clarence shut off the recording device, before he once again shimmered out of the visible spectrum. The invisible octoball hopped from bookshelf to bookshelf, going after Chris and company from the shadows.

* * *

As Chris followed John down a series of corridors, he could hear the sound of exertion echoing off the walls. Rounding a corner, he spotted Mark, the inkling desperately trying to shove a large boulder at least twice his size out of the way of a barely visible door frame. A glance at the ceiling, or rather the gaping hole that used to be the ceiling was more than enough to answer the question of where the rock even came from.

"You two sure took your time, didn't ya? Whew…" Mark panted, leaning onto the offending blockage in question for a quick rest. "This blasted thing just isn't cooperating."  
"Did you seriously try to budge that rock out of the way by yourself while I was away?" John asked, walking up to his friend with a concerned expression. "I tried pushing that with you and we ended up only tilting the damn thing slightly. What were you even trying to accomplish?"  
"It was worth a shot." Mark laughed.

"Never mind that," Chris interjected. "What's so important about this room that you'd try to do all that just to get in?"  
"See for yourself." Mark replied, pointing at a plaque on the side of the door frame.  
Following the direction Mark pointed at, Chris turned to look at the inscription on the plaque. The words 'Administrator's Office' were inscribed on the brass.  
"Interesting…" The inkling muttered. "I suppose it would be worth checking if somebody left the codes scrawled in that room."  
"My thoughts exactly." Mark replied, finally catching his breath. "C'mon, help me out here."

With a nod, Chris and John both walked up to the obstruction, putting their hands onto the boulder as Mark did the same.  
"Alright, on the count of three!" Mark shouted, leaning towards the boulder. "One… two… THREE!"

With all the strength he could muster, Chris concentrated all his weight towards the rock, gritting his teeth in effort as he pushed as hard as he can. John was correct, even with three inklings working together the object barely budged. Slowly but surely however, the rock began to move inch by inch, until the door to the office was fully visible. With a cry of effort, Chris and the others gave the boulder one last shove, the object falling onto its side with a loud crash.  
Panting heavily, Chris leaned towards a nearby wall as he shook his cramped arms loose. Close by, John and Mark had collapsed into an exhausted heap, the Agents hyperventilating while quivering all over.

"H-hey. You two okay there?" Chris asked, concerned.  
"I can't feel my arms. Or my legs. Or anything below my neck, come to think of it…" Mark groaned. "What do YOU think?"  
"Oh, don't be so dramatic…" John mumbled, barely able to move. "Pretty much the same over here though… How are you still able to stand like that?"  
"To be fair, I think I'd be on the floor with you two if this wall wasn't here." Chris replied, sliding slightly down the wall as he said so. "Though I suppose if you had to babysit a Turf War partner that refused to co-operate with you for years, it's a bit easier to endure manual labor in general."  
"I'm not really sure if that's something to be proud of…" John remarked, before faceplanting onto the wooden floor.  
Chris shook his head, chuckling as he sat down onto the floor himself. "…no. No it isn't."

After several minutes of recuperation, Chris is now standing again alongside the two Agents, facing the now unobstructed door into the administrator's office. While his arms still felt sore, he now had enough strength to lift a hand onto the doorknob.  
"C'mon. Let's not waste any time." He said, before opening the door and advancing into the room beyond, with the two Agents in tow.

* * *

Compared to the rest of the building, the administrator's office seemed to have fared significantly better than the rest of the deteriorating structure. In fact, aside from a few small tears in the steel that was lining the walls, it was more or less completely intact, the room barely lit by a weak fluorescent light mounted on the ceiling.  
As the trio stepped further inward, Chris was met with a blast of dust and dry air, the combination irritating his throat.

"O-oh man.*cough*" John choked, coughing out a couple motes of dust. "What's with this room?"  
"This room..." Chris turned back to look at the door behind them, upon closer examination noticing a thick rubber seal lining the frame. "It's not just an office…"  
"Look!" Mark exclaimed, pointing at a terminal across the room. "A computer!"

Jogging up to the desktop computer, Mark began rummaging around the desk, before successfully activating the terminal. "Yes! It still works! I'm in!"  
"Really?! Wait…" John abruptly paused mid-celebration. "It didn't ask for a password?"  
"No, it just let me in straight away." Mark said, examining the monitor. "That's good though, right? C'mon, the codes to this place have got to be in here somewhere…"  
"Let me help!" John ran up next to Mark, scanning the screen. "Hmm… that's just a bunch of video files. What about the rest of the hard drive?"  
Hearing the request, Mark began searching the rest of the computer with a couple of mouse clicks. "I'm on it."

As the Agents busied themselves with the terminal, Chris wandered idly around the office, a thought occurring to him that he was unable to shake off. Stepping around the room, he examined the walls closely, noticing the thickness of the steel paneling as well as the reinforced girders supporting the corners.  
"Hmm… why build an office like this…?" Chris mumbled.

It was then that his feet brush up onto something on the floor. Looking down instinctively, the inkling's eyes widened in shock.  
"U-umm… guys?!" Chris shouted, stepping backwards. "There's… there's…!"

John and Mark looked down at where Chris was staring, and both simultaneously let out a shocked yell as they recoiled on the spot. Lying next to a trophy cabinet situated in a dark corner, there was an octotrooper, or at least what was left of him. Having obviously dried out, the octotrooper's carcass has shriveled up into a small bundle, his eyes flattened from dehydration, his mouth agape as if he was frozen while trying to inhale one last breath, and his skin discolored from the passage of time into a sickly brown pallor.

"Oogh…" John groaned, averting his eyes from the unsettling sight as he grasped his mouth. "I think I'm gonna be sick."  
"He's… oh man. He's been mummified." Mark stepped up to the body for a closer look. "Reckon he's been stuck here for a LONG time."  
"I-I didn't sign up for this! I... Ugh, gimme a sec, I think I need to…" With a sickened grumble, John ran around the desk and straight out of the office, looking slightly paler than usual.

Backing away from the dried octotrooper, Chris tried to calm his frantic thoughts as he turned elsewhere. Trying hard not to pay attention to the retching noises emitting from outside the office, he went up to the computer himself and began scanning the monitor for objects of interest.  
"Mark, did you manage to find anything important?" Chris asked, "There's only one folder here."  
"…don't think so." The Agent replied as he stopped examining the body, "Everything else has been wiped clean, as far as I can tell."  
"Hmm…" Opening the folder, he examined the first file on the list, titled 'diary01'. "This… this is some kind of recording."

As Chris clicked on the file, a video player popped up, filling the entire monitor. On screen, there was a singular octarian located right where the inkling now stood, staring straight at a camera on the monitor and speaking in a tired tone.

" _Day one. Well… day one since the whole place shook and I'm trapped in here, at least._ " The octarian began to speak, " _As per the emergency protocol, I've set up a video diary. 'In the event of a catastrophic failure, you must set up a personal record with the resources available to you, so as to prevent future occurrences.' Something along the lines of that… I guess._ "  
Letting out a sigh as he looked around, the octarian continued his speech. " _So… let's start with the introductions. My name is Tyrone, and my job is to manage the workings in the Grand Library. I think the official title was… Chief Librarian? Yeah… something along the lines of that._ "  
Glancing offscreen in the direction of the door, the octarian named Tyrone frowned slightly. " _As for my current situation… When the place shook, I heard a loud crash just outside my office. I tried the door some time earlier, but I am unable to open it. Reckon something's fallen in front of the door and blocked it. I'm fortunate that the office is built to withstand any possible tremors, or I reckon the ceiling would've fallen on top of me already._ "  
" _As for what I plan to do…_ " The octarian concluded, " _I'll go check on the comms once I finish this message. If nothing comes up, I might be in this for the long haul, so I'll try and make this place as comfy as I can. Tyrone, out._ "

Now most certainly interested, Chris tried the next video on the list. Once again, Tyrone showed up on the monitor, though this time he seemed slightly distressed.  
" _Day 2…_ _I tried the comms. All I got was static._ " The octarian let out a sigh. " _Completely forgot. We've set up that signal jammer downstairs to… Oh right, I shouldn't be mentioning classified information, in case the inklings get their hands on it._ "  
In the background, there was a distant scream of straining metal followed by a crash which shook the camera. Tyrone briefly glanced at the source of the noise, perturbed. " _…that's the fourteenth time I heard something fall apart today. The engineers would've gotten onto it long before that, so it is very likely that I may be alone here. I dread to think what has happened to my co-workers, as well as the rest of the library. If the quake was strong enough to have caused this much damage to the entire facility, I suspect that the rest of Octo Valley must have felt the effects as well._ "  
" _In any case, it would seem that I would have to assume that no one is coming. I'll see what I can come up with. Tyrone, out._ " With a click, the video ended.

"Anything interesting?" Mark asked, walking up next to Chris.  
"Looks like my guess was correct." The inkling replied. "There IS a signal jammer in the basement. If we're calling for help, we'll need the code to the basement lock."  
"Reckon this guy knows the code?" Mark asked, before his face fell as he glanced at the body in the corner. "Oh…umm…"  
"We'll just have to hope." Chris said, clicking on the next file on the list.

"… _Nobody's out there._ " Tyrone began, neglecting to mention the day this time. " _I've tried everything. Banging at the door, screaming as loudly as I could… even took a few swings at the door. Should've known the door's also solid steel. Starting to think… I might be the only one left._ "  
Pausing for thought, the octarian stared anxiously offscreen. " _If… if I am the only one left... I must enact the Borealis protocol. But… if I do that… everything will be erased. There will be no records left. If there are survivors out there…_ "  
The octarian shook his head. " _No, no. I have to wait. I have to hold out hope that someone will come along and rescue me. I can't delete these records, that will go against everything I know as a librarian. There's nothing I can do now… but wait._ "

"Well. That's grim." Mark flatly remarked as the video abruptly cut off.  
"What about the next one?" Chris said, going down the list. To his surprise, the video began with a loud yell.

" _SOMEONE! ANYONE!_ " A hysterical Tyrone cried, " _I'M STILL HERE! RESCUE ME! PLEASE! Ple-he-hese…._ "  
The rest of the video was mainly filled with stifled sobbing as the octarian flattened himself on the desk.

"Let's… let's just skip to the last one." Chris said, mildly disturbed. Scrolling down through the list, he reached the last one, strangely labelled 'README'. While part of him didn't want to open the video, he clicked on it anyway.

" _This is Tyrone. The last octarian alive on Earth._ " The octarian began, a tired and slightly insane glint in his eyes. " _I speak now, as the last of my kind. It has been two weeks ago that I have enacted the Borealis protocol and purged all info available on this terminal, but I do not wish to be rid of this diary. I do not care who hears this anymore, yes, not even any inklings mad enough to come down to these ruins. But to anyone willing to listen…_ "  
Tyrone hesitated for a moment. " _…in this library, we housed an anomaly, down in the basement. Locked behind a coded door… 491752 was the combination I think. It has seized one of our octomissile robots, and we've kept it sealed with a communications scrambler. If you must, dear listener, see for yourself, do NOT for whatever reason disengage it. I…I do not wish to bear the burden of this secret with me._ "  
There was a pause as Tyrone sniffled, a tear running down his body.  
" _...I recall an ancient ritual, once detailed on one of the books in this library._ " The octarian continued. " _One which drains one's body of fluids, thus allowing their body to be preserved, to one day possibly be bought back. I shall now… now perform this ritual upon myself. Dear listener… if you find my remains, pour water on my dried carcass, bring me back from the dead. I… I do not wish the octarian legacy to end with me. This is Tyrone, signing off… Goodbye."_  
With that, the octarian on-screen switched off the camera, and the video ended.

"…" Chris was at a loss for words. Staring at the blank monitor for what seemed like a few minutes, he could feel a sense of pity growing in his chest for the dried octotrooper in the corner of the room.  
"…well, at least we got the code." Mark eventually said, preparing to leave the office. "I'll get John. He should be fine by now, c'mon."

As the Agent left the office, Chris turned his attention towards the dried carcass. Withdrawing a canteen from his backpack, he upturned the container and emptied a small stream of water from it, splashing it over the body. Kneeling down, he waited for any sort of reaction.

A few seconds passed. Then a minute. Then two. Nothing happened, not even a miraculous revival. Bowing his head and closing his eyes, Chris silently grieved for the dead octarian before him.

" _Rest in peace… Tyrone._ " He thought. " _I may not know you… but_ _I wish that wherever you are, it is better than here._ "

"HEY, CHRIS! Hurry up, or we'll leave you behind!" Mark's voice issued from outside the office.  
"Yeah, I'm coming! Be there in a few seconds!" Chris shouted back. With one last glance at the motionless body, he ran out of the office after the Agents, not looking back.

* * *

"So, do you remember the code?"  
"Yeah. I'm sure I have it scribbled down somewhere…"

Having traversed the crumbling floors of the Grand Library, Chris and the two Agents have managed to locate the stairway to the basement. True to John's word, there was a large metal door with a six tumbler combination lock right in the way. At odds with the rest of the facility, the stainless steel and the heavy piston locks on the door seemed to belong to a high-security bank as opposed to a library.

"Okay, got it right here." Mark said, taking out a notepad with the combination lock written on it. "John, you sure you want to come along? You still look a little pale…"  
"*urlp*…don't worry about me." John groaned, wiping a dollop of ambiguous fluid from his mouth as he walked up to the door. "I'll be fine once we get out of this blasted place for good."  
"If you say so. Alright, the first number is '4'..." Mark read, watching as John climbed up one of the pistons to turn the dials. "You sure you could reach the tumblers? Oh, that answers my question…"

As the Agents busied themselves with the combination lock, Chris's thoughts wandered to Tyrone's final words. Particularly the part that concerned the 'anomaly' within the basement.  
" _And here we have a door like this…_ " Chris mused, " _It doesn't look as old as the rest of the library, so it must've been built in long after the building was finished… Are we making a mistake by opening it?_ "

"…and the last number is… 2." Mark concluded. As John shunted the last tumbler into place, he hopped back down from the piston, pulling on a large door handle on the way down.  
The sound of grinding metal filled the air as the locks on the door disengaged themselves. Gears spun, pistons hissed, and before long, the door swung open on its hinges inwards, revealing a dark stairway that led down before them.  
"Alright, the door's open!" John exclaimed happily. "C'mon Mark, let's go down there and-"

"That's far enough, inklings."

Alarmed, Chris spun round at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, and was shocked to be met by the sight of a serrated harpoon at least twice his size pointed straight at him, the tip entirely coated with dripped fuchsia ink. Realizing the situation at hand, Chris raised his arms slowly in surrender, as the Agents that also noticed the absurdly sized weapon did the same.  
"Who…who are you?" Chris asked, trying hard not to pay attention at the sharpened tip just an inch away from his face, and focusing on the unusual wielder of the weapon on the other end. "What do you want with us?"  
The odd-looking octoball retracted the harpoon that was uncomfortably close to Chris's face, though he was no less alert. "My name is Clarence of the Under-Sea-Dogs. On behalf of the octarian race, I am capturing you and your two fellow invaders. Slide your weapons over here, kneel down, and put your hands behind your head. If not, I'm itching to test the effectiveness of ink-coated blades through inkling flesh, if you get my meaning."

"Okay, okay! We get the idea!" John shouted, complying with Clarence's request and nervously relinquishing his Hero Shot before kneeling down. Seeing this, Mark and Chris mirrored his actions, reluctantly letting go of their armaments.  
"Clever choice." Clarence smiled triumphantly, scooping up all their weapons with one oversized fist before finally lowering his harpoon completely. "Now, I'd like the three of you to stay that way, while I have a talk with some friends of mine."

Chris and the two Agents exchanged looks as Clarence began fiddling with an unseen device, speaking through what seemed like a mounted radio receiver.  
"This is Clarence, I've managed to capture one of the inklings that have invaded Sector 0, alongside two Agents. I need a location to rendezvous. Respond."  
There was a burst of static. Raising an eyebrow, the octoball tried again. "…Heather? Morgan? Can you read me? This is Clarence. Hello?"  
Same result. Turning a dial, he tried another channel. "Hello? Is any octarian receiver nearby? This is Clarence. Hello? Hello?"  
All he got was more static. Already losing his patience, he stopped fiddling with the radio, before stamping his foot in frustration, the impact causing a loud *clang*. "GAH! Why isn't it working?!"

"Think we should tell 'em?" Mark asked flatly, albeit slightly amused.  
"Don't look at me!" John replied unnervingly. "Chris, you better do it."  
"Wait, me?" Chris asked, eyeing the two with a surprised expression.

"Alright!" Clarence yelled, brandishing his harpoon once again at the inklings. "What sort of inkling trickery is this?! I cannot contact anyone!"  
"WAAH! W-we didn't do anything!" John cried, leaning back slightly in panic. "I was actually hoping you'd know a way out!"  
The octoball lowered his spear by a fraction. "…excuse me?"  
"He's right." Chris calmly said. "These two Agents did not mean to intrude upon the library willingly, at least for this long. The doors and windows in this building have been sealed shut, trapping all of us in here. We believe whatever is also causing communications to be disabled like this is caused by a signal jammer in the basement. We only now decided to go in there to disable it and seek potential assistance when you showed up."  
"No...exits, you say." Clarence asked, narrowing his eye in suspicion.  
"Yeah man. What he said." Mark replied. "Me and my friend's been stuck here for two weeks! If there was a way outta here, we'd have left by now!"

Contemplating the inkling's words for a few moments, Clarence paced around on the spot, not taking his singular eye off of them at any moment. Eventually, he finished his train of thought, and approached the group.  
"…very well. All of you, on your feet." Clarance growled begrudgingly, motioning the three inklings to stand up with his harpoon. "If you speak the truth, and there is indeed a signal jammer in the basement, lead me to the device, and deactivate it. You, the one not in Agent garb, take point."

"If you say so…" Chris replied, not willing to argue with the one pointing a sharp object at him. Still keeping his hands behind his head, he turned round and marched down the unlit stairwell with the two Agents in tow, along with Clarence in the back doing threatening motions with his harpoon.

* * *

"Hrrrm…"

Several layers of rock above the Grand Library, a couple of meters away from the buried entrance to Sector 0, Captain Cuttlefish twiddled with dials and buttons on a console before him. Hearing the quiet hiss of static from the machine, the aged squid groaned audibly.

"Gah! Stupid machine!" Cuttlefish yelled, banging a fist onto the console.  
"Still trying to make contact with Chris and the other agents?" A voice asked. Turning round, the elderly squid can see DJ Octavio approaching him. "I don't think you'd wanna bother. I did tell you about that jammer we've got down there where he is, remember?"

"Sorry, what was that, old friend?! I didn't quite catch that!" Cuttlefish replied loudly. Not too far from their position, a large crowd consisting of Agents and octarians alike were ferrying supplies to and fro, support pylons going up in and around the breach. The sounds of loud banging and welding noises were thick in the air.  
"I said- Eh, forget it." Octavio grumbled, before fiddling with the controls on the communications console himself. "Let me give it a go, old timer. I know this thing better than you do."

Several moments passed as the two war veterans tried to get the machine to operate. At one point, a Flooder robot trundled past, ferrying a stack of steel girders atop its flat surface, while two Agents and an Octoling escorted the supplies.

"I won't lie and say I'm not worried." Cuttlefish said, watching a blank screen on the console. "Chris walks into that building with those distress signals pinging back, and then he just disappears right off the map. Urgh… I wish I could do something for them."  
"I understand what you're feeling." Octavio assured. "We've both seen comrades come and go. We'll just have to wait here and have faith that inking and those two Agents of yours make it out in one piece."  
The elderly inkling nodded in agreement. "Mmhmm."

"I do wonder though…" Octavio muttered to himself. "I think we set up that jammer there for a particularly urgent reason. But I just can't remember why…"

"Well, for the sake of Chris and my two missing agents, I pray they never find out." Captain Cuttlefish replied, his eyes narrowing at the entrance to Sector 0.

As the aged octopus began pondering what matter of urgency was involved with the library, a certain pair of pop stars emerged from a set of scaffolding just above the communications device, both looking thoroughly exhausted.  
"Alright Gramps." Marie said, "We've done our shift, it's our turn on the comms now."  
"Why do we have to pitch in too, anyway?!" Callie moaned, massaging a stiff shoulder. "Having to do all that moving around and piling up stuff was why we quit the warehouse job in the first place!"  
"Now, now. We all know that this construction is critical to the operation! If we're going to pull our friends out of that hellhole, we need to do this as quickly as possible! I need all hands on deck, yes even the two of you!" Captain Cuttlefish explained, before turning back at the console with a barely concealed grin. "Plus, it builds character!"  
"Funny how every time we 'build character', Gramps saves up on labor costs…" Callie grumbled under her breath.

It was then that Marie noticed DJ Octavio, deep in thought. Curious, she walked up to him.  
"What's up?" She asked, "Something important?"  
"…Yes." Octavio replied, his eyes squinting in concentration. "The Library… I certainly recall something of great urgency there. But I just cannot remember what…"  
"What, having a case of the olds there?" Marie smirked. "Forget about some evil rampaging Octoweapon tucked away in Octo Valley or something?"  
"No, that's not-"

Suddenly, Octavio's eyes snapped open. With a speed that seemed impossible to achieve with eight tentacles, the aged octopus ran up to the console, nudging Captain Cuttlefish out of the way as he frantically pressed a seemingly random selection of buttons.  
"WOAH! Easy there!" Callie exclaimed, supporting her grandfather. "What's gotten into you?!"

Soon, a stream of information showed up on the console. Watching the trail of data scroll down the monitor, the octopus seemed to age a few more years on the spot.  
"No, it can't be. That thing… it's still down there?" Octavio muttered to himself, seeming absorbed in his own thoughts. "Oh man, this isn't good. Not good at all."

"Hey, Earth to Octavio!" Marie shouted, "What are you talking about? What 'thing'?"

"The details will have to wait!" Octavio yelled. "Those three inklings are in some serious deep water!"

Marie recoiled, a look of confusion on her face. "What?"

* * *

Quite unlike the decrepit state of the floors above it, the archives situated in the basement were a sight to behold, seemingly untouched by the quake that tore through the rest of the building. Two stories in height, a series of floodlights illuminate a mazelike formation of wooden and steel crates piled all the way up to the ceiling, each and every last one labelled with a name and a brief description of their contents. Seeing the sight of countless artifacts stored in numerous containers before him, Chris could easily imagine himself spending time in the archives, pouring over the contents with an almost childlike curiosity.  
Except of course, his current circumstances meant he had to begrudgingly shelve that desire for the time being. Mainly due to a certain angry octarian not too far behind him.

"This place is large. Too large for a singular group. It will take much more time than necessary to search this place, but I can't let these prisoners out of my sight..." The angry octarian in question muttered to himself. "No matter… I am a resourceful octoball, I'm sure I can think of something…"

As Clarence lowered his harpoon slightly and closed his solitary eye in thought, the Agents exchanged worried looks with one another.  
"What should he do?" Mark whispered in hushed tones. "This guy seems like he means business."  
"We need to lose this guy somehow!" John exclaimed as quietly as he could. "Chris, what do you think?"  
"Well…" Chris thought for a while, before looking at the Agents. "If Eliza was correct, I should be able to advance down to my destination from somewhere on this floor. Can't go any further with this octoball breathing down our necks though…"  
"Who's Eliza?" Mark asked, curious.  
"Long story." Chris replied flatly. "But for now, I'd reckon that we'll just go along with what Clarence tells us to do. As of this moment, we're all after the same thing: turning off that signal jammer. I'll think of something when the time comes."  
The Agents nodded to one another. "Sounds like a plan."

Their exploration led them to one side of the basement, this one filled with lit displays of various plants, as well as a few skeletal remains of animals. Each one had a small plaque with the same labelling as the crates in the archives, detailing their name and a description involving their origins.  
Silently passing by the rows of displays, Chris eventually noticed movement in one of the displays. A sideways glance elicited a feeling of curiosity as he noticed a patch of flowers with a small beehive in the middle inside, the insects somehow still diligently working despite their confinement. A lone drone flew close to the casing, harmlessly bouncing off of a purple forcefield apparently lining the inside of it.

" _So that's why this place needed power._ " Chris thought to himself. " _Containment field, huh? These octarians are smart._ "

It was then he noticed a trail of wire leading from the display case down onto the floor, which bundled with a series of other wires that lead through their current corridor and round a corner. Seeing this, a brainwave occurred in the inkling's mind.  
"Hey, Clarence is it?" Chris asked, turning round.  
The octoball in question snapped out of his stupor, glaring suspiciously at the inkling as he raised his harpoon. "Grr… Don't address me by name. Speak quickly."  
"I think I might've found a lead." Chris replied, pointing to the wires in the floor. "These display cases are still powered, I'd say it's a safe assumption that those wires must all be hooked up to a power grid. We find that, we should be able to find the controls to the signal jammer."  
The octoball simply grunted, looking away as he lowered his weapon. Taking it as a sign of acknowledgement, Chris motioned Mark and John to follow, as he retraced the power cables back to their source.

* * *

The trail was not as long as Chris had perceived, despite the numerous twists and turns as the four navigated through the collection of crates, their progress marked by more and more wires joining the trail.  
As they approached their assumed goal, however, a strange sound crackled through Chris's headset.

"*kzzzt… **ERROR** … **DIRECTIONAL INPUT…** *zzzt*"

"…did you hear that?" Mark spoke up. He had one hand on his own headset.  
"Huh? I didn't hear anything." John replied, checking his own in confusion.

"… **C-COMPROMISED**...*bzzzrt* **ENTITY-ENTITIES APPROACHING. IDENTIFYING: 4…** *kzzzrt* **1… 3… NULL…** "

"I'm hearing it too." Chris clarified. "We're getting close to something."

His fingers gripped tight over his headset. While Chris decided against voicing his concern, a nagging worry began haunting his mind.

" _This…this must be the anomaly._ " Chris thought to himself. " _We might be getting closer to it... Why's there this sense of dread I'm feeling…?_ "

It didn't take long for him to find out. Rounding a corner, the group was met with a haunting sight. Sitting motionless in the center of a large clearing, a partially deactivated missile-like robot was laying flat on its side. But part of the robot's structure appears to have had been in the middle of being absorbed into a strange oblong device embedded in the creature's back, a machine that not only stayed unnaturally pristine and white despite years of inactivity compared to the half-rusted robot it was jammed into, there was also a strange emblem depicting a chess piece marked right in the middle. Along with the robot, a serpentine tail of loose metal objects was attached to the device via an unsettling collection of wires.  
To make matters worse, the area showed signs of a struggle. Crates were broken, the more fragile ones smashed and its contents strewn all over the floor. A hastily constructed skeletal dome of plastic and wire was built over the strange wreckage, on top of it laying a device that seemed to be giving off a strange pinging noise.

"What…IS THAT?!" Chris exclaimed, in awe.  
"I know what THAT one is," John replied, pointing at the rusted bot, "That's an Octomissile. Those are suicide bomber robots that explode into ink, pretty much the octarian's version of our Seekers. That thing stuck in its back though, you got me. It doesn't look octarian-made, that's for sure."  
"But why is it here?" Mark asked, "More to the point, is that device up there the signal jammer?"

"I'm… starting to get second thoughts." Chris mumbled as his eyes trailed around the scene. Among the wreckage in the clearing, he could catch loose scraps of cloth, one of which had a tattered ID Card hanging off. Wherever the owner was, they were likely in no state to be around anymore. "Don't you think we should pursue a different-"

Suddenly, a harpoon sailed far over his head, embedding itself inside the pinging device. Turning round in alarm, Chris could see that Clarence has thrown his weapon, and was in the process of yanking it back with a chain connected to it.  
"Might as well get it over with." The octoball grumbled, giving the harpoon chain a hearty tug as he yanked it back, taking with it the now sputtering device as it crashed onto the floor.

Immediately, Chris could hear a rush of chatter through his headset as the device coughed its last with one last spark. Noticing this, Chris pressed a hand over his ear to listen, along with Mark and John which are excitedly checking the communications.  
"…calm yourself, friend! Here, I don't do this often, but I'm sure I got some crabby-" Captain Cuttlefish's voice issued through the receiver.  
"Cuttlefish?" Chris spoke, "Hey, we've managed to shut down the signal jammer. Can you read us?"  
"This is Agent 467! I've got Agent 468 with me here, too!" John exclaimed through his own headset. "Captain, send help! We're trapped down here!"  
"CHRIS?! AGENTS 467 and 468?! Oh thank the gods, you're still alive!" Cuttlefish's voice sighed in relief, "But this is no time to celebrate, you have to get out of there at once! That's an order!"

"H-huh?" Mark stuttered, confused. "What do you mean?"

"The explanation can wait!" DJ Octavio's voice suddenly interrupted, "You've just shut off the containment on one of our most dangerous study targets! You can't fight it with what you have now, just find a place to hide!"

John was aghast. "Wait, what?!"

"I SAID, FIND A PLACE TO-"

Which was all Octavio could muster before a wail of unholy sound tore through the communication channel, causing all three inklings to momentarily throw their headsets off, even Clarence stumbled on the spot as his own equipment seemed to shriek in pain.

Before them, the strange device seemed to reactivate, as the chess piece emblem began to glow a piercing blue. To Chris's horror, the half-rusted octomissile shuddered violently, before being torn apart by an unseen force into countless metallic strings. The wires stretched all around it, attaching themselves onto anything that was even remotely metallic that was within reach. Seeing this, Clarence was barely able to grab his own weapon out of the way before a tendril consumed it.  
Having attached itself to all the metal it could find, the growing machine began drawing them towards itself, upending piles and causing them to fall on top of it, whatever metallic also being assimilated. A form began taking shape. A worm-like body. A set of gun barrels. A viper-like head. As it built its own body, the 'tail' seemed to fully incorporate itself into the rest of the machine, smoothing out and changing into a pristine white shade.

The maelstrom of metal soon ceased. In place of the pile of metal, there was now a curling serpentine robot that seemed to move unnaturally smoothly, staring at its own body. Looking up from the gatling barrels that seemed to have formed its arms, the strange machine turned a glowing blue gaze towards the group of marine life before it. The robot's height was intimidating, towering above them by well over several meters.

" **I…HAVE…AWAKENED…?** " A voice came out of Chris's headset as the creature seemingly stared straight into his eyes. " **WHAT…ARE…YOU.** "

Despite the lump of fear in Chris's throat, he tried to speak calmly towards the strange machine. "My…name is… Chris Tempest." He spoke defiantly.

" **CHRIS…ONE OF THE FOUR…** " The machine growled. " **YES…IT IS AS HE SAID. I AWAKEN TODAY, BEFORE ONE OF THE CHOSEN. HE TRULY…SEES…FATE.** "

Chris winced in incomprehensible fear. Every word that issued from his headset seemed to weigh down on him like a ton of bricks. "Are…Are you… the Shining Serpent himself? That's impossible…"

" **THE…SERPENT? NO…** " The machine uncoiled, revealing the emblem on its chest. " **I… AM A MERE… PAWN. I… AND HUNDREDS UPON THOUSANDS OF MY KIN…** "

Abruptly, the Pawn seemed to spasm on the spot, its eyes flickering momentarily. Changing its gaze, it now stared at the multitude of wires in the clearing.

" **POWER… INSUFFICIENT. IT IS NOT… ENOUGH.** " The monstrosity screeched. " **I… MUST… FEED. FEED!** "

Without warning, the Pawn opened its mouth, and bellowed ceiling-ward. As it did so, a discharge of electricity seemed to arc straight out of the wires, and into the gullet of the machine. With a whine, the entire basement plunged into darkness as an emergency klaxon sounded.  
"Warning. Warning. Power failure detected in the archives." An automated voice sounded as the mechanical beast disappeared into the darkness. "Please restore power immediately."

"W-WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" John cried, fumbling in the dark. "Oh gods…. I don't wanna be here anymore, I wanna go home!"  
"That creature… By that surge of power, that was at least three zapfish's worth of voltage the monster just swallowed in one go!" Clarence shouted. "We must not let this creature leave this basement at any cost! Octo Valley is in danger!"  
Slacking one of his fists, the octoball lobbed the inkling's confiscated weapons back at their owners, the inklings picking them up with looks of bewilderment.  
Mark spoke up in the middle of checking his Hero Shot. "Wait, why did you-"  
"Defend yourselves!" Clarence interrupted, "I'll make this an exception for once. The immediate threat must be neutralized first!"

Without another word, the Under-Sea-Dogs member ran into the darkness, his form barely illuminated by the flashing alarms. As he disappeared, the three inklings turned towards each other.  
"What should we do?!" Mark shouted over the klaxons, "How are we even going to fight against something like THAT?!"  
"Are our weapons even going to do anything to that thing?!" John seemed moments away from hysterics. "Oh jeez… I really don't want to go like this!"  
"I'm scared too." Chris replied. "But it looks like we'll just have to try and take that thing out here. Clarence is right, we can't risk letting that robot get out of Sector 0! C'mon, I think I know where it's going!"

His eyes fixated on the now thoroughly melted wires, the stench of burnt out copper in the air, Chris continued to follow the trail of wire this time in a run, with the two Agents running after him.  
Soon, he finally found the source of the wiring: a gigantic heavily fortified gate with the wires trailing underneath it, which also seemed to have functioned as a transformer. Right in front of it, the monstrous machine was busy ramming itself headfirst into the reinforced binding, seemingly in a state of feeding frenzy.

"There it is." Chris whispered, hiding behind a crate. "I've been thinking, and I'm definitely sure our weapons won't work on that… whatever it is."  
"Man, how are you still able to keep calm in all this?" Mark whispered back. "So you got an idea?"  
"We tire it out. By the looks of it, that thing must run on a lot of juice. If we can keep the thing busy long enough, that thing should eventually run out of power and stop moving."  
"…I don't like where this is going." John mumbled, putting the pieces together.  
"What other choice do we have?" Chris said, "C'mon, there's three of us! We'll cover each other!"

Without wasting another second, Chris rushed out of cover, and aimed his Dual Squelcher at the creature's back, firing a salvo of ink. As expected, the ink plunked harmlessly off of the robot's armor, but it was enough to draw its attention. Spinning round with a metallic roar, the Pawn lunged straight at Chris, the inkling turning into squid form and leaping aside as it plowed headfirst to where he was mere seconds earlier, leaving a groove on the floor. Taking advantage of the commotion, the Agents ran out of their hiding place, past the robot's thrashing tail.  
Having missed its target, the Pawn spun round with a fluidity that didn't seem possible for robots, preparing for another lunge. Taken by surprise, Chris retaliated by quickly lobbing a Splat Bomb into the creature's open mouth. It didn't have the intended effect however, as the creature caught the explosive, lobbing it straight at the Agents that had taken position not far away from Chris. Both were barely able to dive out of the way before the explosive went off, staining the ground in deep green.

"WOAH!" John yelled, "Watch it with those bombs, you could hurt us!"  
"SORRY!" Chris hastily apologized as he painted a nearby wooden crate. Turning into squid form, he swan up the pyramid of containers, while the Pawn started violently nipping at the ripples caused by his ascent. Before the monster was able to get lucky however, Mark ran up behind the robot and squeezed the trigger on his Hero Shot for all its worth, coating its back in lime green. Agitated by the attack, the machine stretched its body upright, before falling backwards in an attempt to flatten the Agent with its weight. Noticing the danger, John quickly shoved Mark out of harm's way, before he was able to barely leap clear of the monstrosity's crushing weight.  
Leaping off from the pile of crates, Chris joined Mark and John in encircling the Pawn as it curled back up in an offensive stance. Each time it prepared to lunge at an inkling, the other two began opening fire at its body, causing it to change its attention. For a few tense moments, they courted the monstrous bot in this manner, dodging away from the vicious attacks when necessary, and returning fire when they had the chance.

Despite their tactic however, the three inklings began showing signs of fatigue, as their escapes from the jaws of the Pawn because narrower and narrower. But just as Chris began to lose hope, a barely visible haze floated from atop a close-by pile of containers, materializing into Clarence as he dived down towards the mechanical beast's back, successfully stabbing it through the robot's emblem with his harpoon.  
The creature let out a shriek of mechanized agony, but it still had some fight left. Thrashing on the spot, it attempted to dislodge Clarence from its back, as the octoball held on for dear life onto his harpoon. Seeing a window of opportunity, Chris lobbed yet another Splat Bomb. The serpentine creature was still able to catch it, but this time it was unable to toss the bomb away before it detonated, the kinetic force of the explosion knocking it into a daze. Taking the chance, Clarence yanked the harpoon out of the robot's back, before leaping straight onto its head, and plunging the serrated edge with all his might through the Pawn's skull.

With one last screech, the Pawn finally submitted, crashing down onto the concrete floor with a thunderous quake. As it fizzled its last, its blue eyes flickered once, before it dimmed to blackness.

"W... we did it?" John exclaimed, unable to contain his surprise. "We did it! It's dead!"  
"Valiantly fought, inklings." Clarence complemented, yanking out his weapon from the robot's carcass. "Had you not been inklings, that's an instant inclusion to the octarian army's Elites right then and there."  
"Thanks, man." Mark replied, before his smile faded. "Erm… you're not still going to capture us again, right?"

The octoball pondered the idea for a while, before he shook his head. "Perhaps… I shall let this intrusion slide for once. You three are free to go."  
"Umm… Thanks…?" Chris replied.  
"Don't get too complacent however." Clarence warned, looking at Chris in the eye. "Next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Goodbye." With that said, he shimmered out of the visible spectrum, and disappeared somewhere else.

"Well. That could've been better." John sighed. "But on the same note…"  
"…could be worse." Mark finished. "So… what now?"  
Chris's attention drifted towards the gate the Pawn was trying to destroy. A small hole has been made in the metal, revealing a small hatch beyond with wires trailing in. "I have to go. Gotta go meet some friends of mine."  
"Is that so?" John said, "Alright then, gonna miss ya. It's been fun."  
"Bye Chris!" Mark added, "Say hi to Katie for us, yeah?"  
"Got it. See you around."

As Chris ran through the hole in the gate and disappeared down the hatch, the two Agents found a nearby crate, and sat down as they took a breather. While John crossed his arms and prepared to take a snooze, a dial tone rang through Mark's headset.  
"Slippery bursting barnacles!" Captain Cuttlefish's voice exclaimed through the speakers. "That was some exemplary fighting there, 468!"  
"Hardly." Mark replied, "If that octarian wasn't there, we'd be snake chow by now."  
"Even so, that was great! Once we get you and 467 out of there, I'll treat you two some crabby cakes!"  
"I'll pass on the offer, thanks." Mark paused for a moment, before continuing. "So…. would you like a report or anything while we wait?"  
"Absolutely! Where did the two of you disappear off to for two weeks?"  
"Alright then." Mark paused for breath, before he began his story. "So… there was this rumor we picked up on…"

* * *

 **AN: GOOD GRIEF! I might've gone a bit overboard with the words this time, there's over 9000 in here! (no, I'm not gonna say it...)**

 ***ahem* Ignoring that, I'd like to take a moment to address the recent reviews. You guys do me proud, I gotta say it, but Anon Train here might've just set a new record. I already sent him a PM to thank him earlier, but this time, officially, cheers for the review. It's everything I could ever ask for.**

 **So during the time that transpired between chapters, it's passed the anniversary of this story. It really has been a surprise that One Missed Call is still going, let alone that it's garnered so much intellectual attention. I couldn't be prouder. Well, unless one of the Splatoon devs happen to find this story, but the odds of that happening is practically astronomical. Still, I find it rather sad that all my fellow writers have seemingly disappeared, I'm currently the only one now that's still writing his story. I mean, aside from the ones that parrot the usual Turf War/Inklings versus Octarians verse.**


	31. Determination of the Underdog

**Determination of the Underdog**

* * *

A lone figure walked, through an endless expanse of white. Everywhere around her was blanketed in a thick fog, obscuring her vision. The sky, the ground, everything was filled with a silvery light that seemed to brighten and dim at irregular intervals.

" _Where…am I?_ " The figure thought to herself. " _Where…where is everyone?._ "

Every step was agonizing. Not only was the fog obfuscating everything a few steps away from her, the swirls of mist seemed to pull at her legs, slowing her footsteps.

Out of nowhere, a voice floated through the mist, ethereal and familiar.

"Mei-Lin…"

The inkling looked up. There was no discernible source of the voice anywhere near her.

" _Who…who's there…?_ " Mei-Lin wanted to say. But while the thought shot through her mind, her voice refused to respond. Instinctively inhaling the air, she could feel the musky air swirl around in her gut, weighing her body down even further.

Despite the lack of a voice, the other figure seemingly sensed her presence. Within the fog, a silhouette of another figure began to take shape.

"Is it not obvious…?" The voice echoed back. "How could you so easily forget… this face?"

Mei-Lin's eyes widened in shock as the other figure stepped into view. As if she were staring into a mirror, she could see her own forlorn face staring back. However, 'her' clothes are ripped and torn, revealing skin heavily stained by blotches of black and auburn, as well as a heavy collection of scars and cuts.

" _W-what?_ " Once again, Mei-Lin's vocal cords failed to work. Perturbed by the sight, she took a few steps back, all the while massaging her own throat.

"I am sad… Why must you forget about me so easily…?" 'Mei-Lin' crooned, as she stepped forward, a heartbroken smile forming on her face. "Your own… precious… precious self…"

" _Wait… no…!_ " Mei-Lin tried to turn and run, but then she realized her feet had gone numb. Glancing down quickly, she could see strands of black liquid crawling up her legs, gumming her down onto the floor.

She tried to scream. But even that ability deserted her, as she could feel nothing but a burst of air exhale from her windpipe. Her eyes darted upwards, as she watched her doppelganger approach, spreading 'her' arms wide. Every step that 'she' took was rigid and mechanical, like a puppet.

"I've missed you… Why… why do you look so sad?" 'She' stepped up to the pinned Mei-Lin, until 'she' was mere inches away from her. 'She' looked up towards Mei-Lin, staring longingly at her face with dead, soulless eyes.

"… _no! Please…get away…!_ " Mei-Lin could feel 'herself' play with her clothing, brushing the fabric aside and gently caressing her skin with cold stained hands. She tried to resist, but her body refused to listen to her commands.

She felt as if she were a prisoner in her own body, unable to yell, or move. A rush of hysteria began to envelop her mind.

" _Oh gods…! Someone…anyone…!_ " Mei-Lin's eyes darted everywhere she could look. She could see others within the thick mist, silhouettes of those familiar and close to her. But whenever she glanced directly at them, they seemed to shy away from her, fading into the fog.

"They can't help you. No one can. What do they know?" Seeing 'her' double's exposed neck, 'Mei-Lin' smiled contently, before brushing it slowly with 'her' fingers. "But… I do. I know everything about you. Your body… Your needs… Your desires…"

" _No… I don't want this…_ " The fingers on Mei-Lin's left hand twitched slightly. Little by little, her left arm began to move as she resisted the paralysis.

"I know too… that you are afraid. Afraid of those around you. Afraid of their color, their essence… how they will burn you, defile you…" Embracing Mei-Lin's frozen body, 'she' spoke into her ear, 'her' voice nary a whisper. "But… that is okay. You will… always… have me… forever."

Mei-Lin felt a chill down her back as her double seductively licked her neck with 'her' tongue. Repulsed by the sight, she closed her eyes, as tears began to form.

" _No…please…!_ "

"There is… nothing to fear… anymore. Let me inside you… my poor…terrible self…" Baring 'her' sharp beaks, 'she' prepared to bite down on Mei-Lin's exposed skin…

"NO! GET AWAY!" Mei-Lin screamed, abruptly regaining control over her own body and voice. In a fit of panic, she shoved her double as hard as she could, the 'inkling' collapsing onto the misty floor.

Watching 'herself' lie there, unmoving, Mei-Lin quickly pulled her parka over her exposed neck, backing away from the body as she fell onto the floor herself. As her panicked whimpers subsided, it gave way to a series of wracked sobs as she broke down.

"Why… why must you always torment me?!" Mei-Lin cried, wiping tears away from her eyes. "I…I just want to be left alone…! Leave me be!"

"I am no tormentor." 'Mei-Lin' began to rise from the floor, 'her' head bruised and tilted at an unnatural angle. "I am you. Why must you reject who you truly are?"

"I… I DON'T want to be that anymore…!" Mei-Lin crawled away from 'herself', looking around in a state of hysteria. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"My terrible, pitiful self… **YOU CAN'T RUN FROM WHO YOU TRULY ARE!** "

Abruptly, 'her' body began convulsing horribly, as 'her' entire torso split open lengthwise. From the hollow cavity, countless geysers of black fluid erupted forth, before they shot straight at Mei-Lin.

"AHHHH! No, no, nonononono!" Scrambling onto her feet, Mei-Lin spun around before breaking into a run. Feeling her feet weighted down by the fog, she dragged her body forward as hard as she could, exhausting her body to its limits.

Feeling shadows growing around her, the inkling briefly looked behind, to her dismay. The geysers have become an unending collection of shadowy hands, clawing and grabbing at her body. Her eyes widened with fear, and she began to hyperventilate, the mist whirling around in her lungs like a tempest.

"Look before you. There is nowhere to run…"

Seeing the flowing mist before her terminate abruptly, Mei-Lin could barely stop herself before she could plummet into the gaping chasm before her. Turning around in panic, Mei-Lin could see the shadowy tendrils hovering dangerous close to her, as her double slowly approached, still twitching gruesomely as the liquid flowed out of 'her'.

"Don't reject… who you really are." 'Mei-Lin' hissed, 'her' voice echoing through the air. "Come. Be one with me. Let us embrace…"

Her face a mask of terror, Mei-Lin briefly glanced at the sheer drop behind her, and back at her warped self. A rush of memories flew past. The Kraken. The cliff. Her own hands, stained in black…

" _No….NO!_ " Cornered, her mind began to drown in her own fear. " _I…I don't…I DON'T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE!_ "

Right then and there, the ground beneath Mei-Lin gave way, plunging her backwards into the sheer drop below. Feeling the rush of air blow past her as she plummeted into the bottomless abyss, a cloud of darkness quickly obscured her vision…

* * *

"Ahh!"

Mei-Lin abruptly shot up from her lying position, her movement somewhat restricted by the sleeping bag she was in. Feeling a bead of cold sweat run down her neck, the inkling looked around, realizing that she was in the ruined observatory that she had fallen asleep in. Raising her right hand to pinch herself, Mei-Lin was almost relieved to feel a sting of pain on her cheek.  
"…A dream." Mei-Lin reassured herself. "It's just a dream. It isn't real. It cannot hurt me. Everything is…fine…"  
Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, before breathing out again. Feeling her tensed up muscles relax, Mei-Lin crawled out of the bag she was in, before opening her eyes again.  
" _It's okay, Mei-Lin… just look around you._ " She thought to herself. " _Clear your mind… and forget about the…nightmare…_ "

The first thing the inkling noticed was the other sleeping bag across the room, or rather the lack of a certain octoling snoozing inside it. Concluding the likelihood that Eliza most likely woke up before she did, Mei-Lin proceeded to look around the rest of the observatory from her position, taking in the sights of the crumbling concrete, the damaged fluorescent lights, and the barely flickering lights that formed the artificial starscape on the ceiling.  
As she did so, she could feel the lingering memories of her nightmare slowly fading away, to her relief.  
" _That… I suppose that will do… for now._ " Mei-Lin sighed a breath of relief, before her eyes trailed to the ajar doorway. " _But… Where did Eliza go?_ "

It was at that moment, that Mei-Lin heard the distinctive sound of a Charger going off just outside, the abrupt bang startling her somewhat.  
" _Perhaps… that answers my question. Is she…_ "

Right then and there, the inkling recalled the promise she made with Eliza just yesterday. Along with it came the realization that she most likely overslept.  
"Oh… Oh crud." Mei-Lin muttered aloud. Scrambling out of her sleeping bag, she grabbed the backpack placed next to her, and broke into a run out of the observatory.

* * *

The moment Mei-Lin ran past the deteriorating door frame of the observatory's entrance, she could hear another gunshot. To her surprise, a used tin can coated in fuchsia sailed past her right afterwards, causing her to give off a timid yelp. Clattering onto the floor, the can rolled for a bit before coming to a dead stop just a few feet away from the inkling. Looking in the direction where the object flew from, she noticed Eliza having her Charger pointed at a row of other tin cans placed neatly in a row on a concrete barrier in front of her.

The octoling looked up from the scope on her charger, before staring at Mei-Lin.  
"You're awake." She remarked, in the same stern tone of voice as always. "It has been two hours."  
"S-sorry." Mei-Lin stammered, somewhat embarrassed by the yelp that came out of her mouth. "I…"  
"I can let it slide." Eliza interrupted, lowering her gun. "I am aware of the extended rest period that inklings possess compared to us. You can't fight your natural instincts."  
"That's true…" Mei-Lin mumbled.

"There was something else." Eliza continued. "As I left, I noticed you were thrashing about in your sleep. Are you certain you are mentally fit for training?"  
"Ah… I…" Mei-Lin was briefly taken aback, unsure how to answer. "I'm… I'm fine! I can train! Don't worry about me…"  
"Is that so?" Holstering her Charger behind her back, Eliza motioned Mei-Lin to follow her. "Very well then. Follow me."

As the octoling turned away, Mei-Lin couldn't help but catch a glimpse of skepticism in Eliza's eyes. Looking down at her feet, she could feel a sense of dread growing in her gut.

" _Did… did she guess that I was having… those nightmares?_ " She thought to herself, her face falling as uncomfortable memories immediately popped into her mind. " _I… wasn't really very convincing._ "

She shook her head, attempting to suppress the images in her mind.

" _I…I can't worry about that now. Best I go with the flow… for now._ " With that thought, Mei-Lin sighed, before hurriedly running after the octoling.

She didn't have to go very far. Going round the back of the observatory towards the entrance into an alleyway coated in cobwebs, Mei-Lin could see Eliza carefully setting up four more tin cans on a faraway dumpster. Walking out of the alley, Eliza nonchalantly brushed the dust off of a nearby fallen slab of rock, before sitting down.  
"Now." Eliza began, looking straight at Mei-Lin. "First, show me what you are currently capable of."  
"Capable…?" Mei-Lin repeated.  
"There are targets over there." Eliza clarified, "Use your weapon, and shoot them from where you are standing now."

"O-ok…" Reaching into her backpack, Mei-Lin pulled out the New Squiffer along with the accompanying ink tank, strapping the tank carefully onto her back and pointing the weapon towards the alleyway.  
Squinting her eyes, she looked down the barrel of the weapon, and slowly took aim towards the closest can.  
Pulling the trigger on her Charger, she could hear the gurgle of liquid as the ink rushed through the tubes in the weapon, collecting towards a single point within. Taking a deep breath, she let go of the trigger, causing a high-velocity jet of ink to blast out of the barrel, shooting towards the alleyway as it left a trail of ink in a split second. Not anticipating the recoil of the weapon however, Mei-Lin's aim was thrown wildly upward, causing the jet to impact well over a meter above her intended target, the splash of auburn coating the cans.

"Ah…" Mei-Lin quickly glanced sideways at Eliza, but all she got was the octoling's unflinching gaze, not even a single word being spoken. Ignoring the octoling silently judging her, Mei-Lin switched into squid form and sunk into the auburn ink trail she left on the floor to refill her tank, before reverting back to take aim at the alleyway again, this time bracing herself for the Charger's recoil. Her hands trembling with tenseness however, she missed her target a second time, the shot impacting slightly to the left of the intended target.  
Gritting her teeth in frustration, the inkling didn't even switch into squid form this time and simply waited for her ink tank to refill by itself, prepping herself for another shot as she attempted to steady her arms. Unfortunately, the tight grip she had on the handle caused the recoil to once again affect her aim. The shot barely grazed the can, tipping it onto its side before it rolled off the dumpster, clattering onto the floor with an audible clang.

"Stop." Eliza interjected, raising a hand as her eyes quickly darted from the can on the floor towards Mei-Lin. "I've seen enough."  
"I… um…" Mei-Lin mumbled, lowering her weapon and setting it aside on a fallen piece of concrete. "…that was terrible. How is it even possible to fight with this thing?"  
"Perhaps an on-hands demonstration is in order. Watch how I fire." Eliza replied. Stepping up next to where Mei-Lin was standing, the octoling fired a short burst onto the floor with her Splatterscope, before bringing up the rifle at the alleyway herself. In a comparatively shorter moment, Eliza charged up and fired three shots in rapid succession, reflexively switching into octopus form and jumping into the fuchsia stain on the floor between shots to refill her reserves. Every shot met their mark, hitting a tin can on the other side of the alleyway dead on.  
"That's…!" Mei-Lin was in a state of disbelief as she watched the cans roll down towards the floor. "H-how did you do that?!"  
"The 'how' can wait." Eliza simply answered. "What do you see?"  
"You were a lot faster at refilling the tank… and you're barely moving when you aimed." Mei-Lin replied, somewhat unsure. "And you were standing up tall. Your shoulders were relaxed, and your feet were flat on the ground. Is that… a good posture for combat?"

Eliza raised a single eyebrow, mildly impressed. "You are more observant than I expected."  
"It's… not really anything special." Mei-Lin mumbled, fidgeting on the spot. "You're probably better than I am…"  
"There's no need to hide your talents." Eliza replied. "A sense of awareness to your environment is a great thing to have for a sniper. A Charger as a weapon of choice is a wise decision."  
"That's not…" Mei-Lin looked down on the weapon in her arms, remembering how she got her hands on it. "…it wasn't my choice. My friends… we got in a fight. The Splattershot Jr I had at the time was destroyed, and Chris gave this to me as a replacement."  
"I see. It will be prudent for me to teach you the principles, then." Lowering her Charger, Eliza walked into the alleyway along the trail of fuchsia her weapon left behind, scooping up a couple of discarded bottles along the way.

"The concept of being a sniper is simple." Eliza began, placing down a bottle onto the dumpster, "In a battle situation, you stray as far away as you can from the field, and support your squad from a distance. The sniper's job is to eliminate key targets, changing the flow of battle in your favor."  
"Key targets…" Mei-Lin repeated quietly, reaching for her backpack and pulling out a notepad.  
"Your shots will be powerful, but infrequent." The octoling continued, placing down another bottle, "In a dire situation, you must make every shot count. Therefore, it is a necessity to be able to be able to keep a cool and focused mind even in combat."  
"A focused mind…" Mei-Lin paused in the middle of scribbling down Eliza's words. "…how am I supposed to do that?"

Pausing in the middle of placing down a third bottle, Eliza noticed Mei-Lin struggling to write down every last word she had said. Seeing this, the octoling shook her head disapprovingly.  
"Put that notepad away." She remarked, "It won't help you here."  
"B-but…" Mei-Lin looked up, somewhat flustered. "Why?"  
"Manuals can only go so far, theory and practice are wildly different concepts." Eliza replied. "In the heat of battle, you cannot rely on memory to guide you. Technique must become second nature to you, an extension of your very being. In battle, your mental state is just as important as being able to use the weapon in your hands."  
The octoling sat up, carrying her own Charger with her. "That is where your problem is: your mental state."  
"My…mental state?" Mei-Lin repeated, confused at what Eliza was talking about.  
"I can see it in your posture and the way you fire your weapon." Eliza clarified. "I have seen my fair share of rookies, but none tremble as much as you do. Do you fear your own weapon?"

Mei-Lin flinched. Eliza was much closer to the mark than she had expected. "…Y-yes."  
"Just as I thought." The octoling muttered to herself, her face falling.  
"What…?" Mei-Lin looked down on the incomplete scrawls on her notepad, and back up to the octoling. "What do you mean…?"

Placing down one last bottle, Eliza turned to face Mei-Lin. "I'm afraid you might be mentally unprepared for battle. From what I have seen thus far, coupled with yesterday's… outburst, your will may be too fragile."

"…that's…" Mei-Lin unconsciously dropped her notepad, her fingers going numb from shock.

"At your current state, I would much rather send you to a psychologist as opposed to teach you how to handle firearms." Eliza remarked, a frown forming on her face. "I probably should not have given the offer to train you… I am at fault in this instance."

"…huh?" Mei-Lin was not expecting that remark. "What did…you…say?"

"Hah… It would seem I'm slipping. I must confess, I know nothing of solving the mental problems of others. My expertise doesn't cover such a dilemma." A look of guilt was forming on Eliza's face, something Mei-Lin definitely did not expect. "I must apologize-"

"WAIT!" The inkling interrupted, unable to keep silent. "It's… it's entirely my fault! You don't have… to blame yourself!"

"…!" Taken aback, Eliza was rendered temporarily speechless.

"I know I'm much less qualified to be training compared to my team, and I know I'm a liability. But…" Mei-Lin uncomfortably fidgeted on the spot. "I… I don't want to be weak anymore! I hate being a coward! I want to be helpful to my friends, not be a useless burden!"

"Oh my…" The sniper was at a loss for words.

"Besides…" Mei-Lin flashed a wry smile. "This training… it's meant to help me overcome my…shortcomings…right?"

A few moments of silence passed by as the inkling and the octoling merely stared at one another. Mei-Lin briefly stooped for a moment to pick up the notepad she dropped on the floor, looking up nervously at Eliza as she did so.  
Eventually, Eliza responded with a curt nod, her frown slowly fading.  
"Perhaps… you are correct." She replied. "But what do you wish me to do?"  
"I…um…" Mei-Lin mumbled, "I… suppose you can teach me everything else?"  
"That is a valid option. I may not be able to improve your mental condition, but I am certain your physical condition can be honed." Eliza gave a hand wave towards the Squiffer leaning on the concrete. "Let us continue, shall we?"  
Mei-Lin was rather hesitant, but she reached for her weapon regardless. "…yeah."

* * *

The next few moments passed by in a blur. During that period, Mei-Lin was subjected to a plethora of quick lessons, some physical such as proper firing posture, and some being theories on being a good sniper such as high elevation. There were a few more practice shots as well, with Eliza sometimes stepping up to help point out irregularities in her posture.  
Despite having a mentor by her side however, Mei-Lin didn't really improve all that much regardless. As she lowered her Charger for the final time, she could see that the alleyway was completely coated in auburn, but three out of four of the bottles placed there before they resumed the training were still standing. The remaining one was in pieces on the ground, though she was more than certain that the shot that dislodged it was a fluke.

"That…" The inkling mumbled. "That could've been better…"  
"Most likely. But it is impossible to become a trained soldier in a matter of hours." Eliza replied, "No one can learn a new skill in that allocated time and instantly master it, not even myself."  
"True. But, what do I do now…?" Mei-Lin asked, facing the octoling. "Do I just…practice?"  
"Yes. Practice with that weapon, and you should be able to use it in the field once the need arises. But, improving your mental state is something you will have to discover for yourself. As I said, I am unable to assist you on that front." Eliza slung her Splatterscope behind her back, preparing to walk back towards the observatory. "Now, let us pack our things, and be on our way. Your companions must be expecting us."  
Mei-Lin nodded. "…Alright."

As the two walked back inside the observatory and they began packing up the equipment and supplies in the makeshift camp inside, Mei-Lin's thoughts were thoroughly occupied. Pausing in the middle of rolling up her sleeping bag, she took a momentary glance at the octoling sniper across the room, busy with the campfire's remains.

" _Improving my mental state…_ " She thought to herself, " _How…? Should I tell her about… that…?_ "

Her fingers momentarily slackened, and the sleeping bag in her arms quickly unfurled. Cursing under her breath, Mei-Lin shook it loose, before carefully rolling it up again.

"… _how does Eliza do it anyway? She always looks so calm… nothing seems to get to her. That's just not possible…_ "

Managing to roll up the sleeping bag, Mei-Lin proceeded to attempt to stuff it inside her backpack. In an attempt to vent, she hammered the object inside with her right elbow, throttling the backpack with her left hand as she did so. It seemed to help somewhat, as she could feel her stress dissipating ever so slightly.

" _No sense just standing here making wild guesses… Maybe I'll just ask her along the way._ "

Slinging the backpack onto her back, Mei-Lin did a quick look of her surroundings to make sure she didn't leave anything behind. It was then she noticed the flashlight that she left next to where she slept. Picking it up, she experimentally switched it on, shining the beam around the observatory's roof.  
"You have a flashlight? That could be useful." Eliza commented, noticing the illumination.  
"…yeah." Mei-Lin replied, turning off the flashlight and stuffing it into a side pocket on her parka.  
"The visibility down here is fairly poor, that should help us avoid any possible pitfalls up ahead. It was certainly fortunate you managed to acquire a working one down here… where did you find it?"  
"I…" Mei-Lin hesitated for a moment, recalling the incident the other day. "…I just did."

"Hmm… very well. I was only inquiring in case there are any supplies down that may come in useful." Finished with packing up the last of her own equipment, Eliza made her way out of the observatory, motioning Mei-Lin to follow. "Take point. You have the flashlight."  
"O-okay." The inkling replied, reaching for her pocket and withdrawing the flashlight. She stepped out of the observatory, with the octoling following close behind.

* * *

"Hey… can I ask you something?"

"…"

Having gone a bit of distance away from the observatory and onto a nearby walkway, the duo are now in the middle of surveying the rest of Low Tide Park from their current vantage point, trying to determine the path to their next destination. Their progress was cut short several times however, with many of the walkways in an advanced state of deterioration. Either they are too unsafe to traverse or they have already collapsed, leaving their options limited.  
"I…I just want to know…" Mei-Lin mumbled, holding out the flashlight in her hand to illuminate the darkness in the area Eliza was trying to survey. "What is it that…makes you-"  
"Later." Eliza interrupted. "Move the light just a bit to the left, I think I see something."  
"Alright…" Mei-Lin obliged. "But…where exactly are we headed, anyway?"

"There." Eliza pointed at a dull grey building in the distance that was barely visible in the darkness, which seemed at odds with the colorful attractions around it. "That is the power station to this place. From there, it is a straight climb down to the Smokestack geothermal plant."  
"I just wish super-jumping there is possible…" Mei-Lin sighed. "But I'm not used to doing such a thing."  
"That is not advisable, regardless of whether or not you are familiar with the action." Eliza replied flatly. "With visibility this poor, missing the landing is entirely probable. I would not risk seeing if the bottom of the dome is a good place to land, if it is even there to begin with."

"Y-yeah…" Mei-Lin leaned slightly forward, trying to get a good look at what she was shining on. "Do you see anything?"  
Eliza was silent for a moment, before she shook her head. "…no, just a stray girder. Try the other side."

Shining the beam to the right, Mei-Lin then noticed a glint of light reflecting off a metallic surface. Squinting her eyes, she could barely make out the contours of what appears to be another walkway down below. Or rather, it looked to be part of the walkway they currently stood on, but the set of stairs connecting the two have long since collapsed into the abyss.  
"Eliza… I found something." She said, pointing at the walkway. "It's another one of those broken paths. Reckon that's safe enough?"  
"Hmm… it is worth the risk." Eliza mused. "We will need to jump from here, however. I do not see a means to climb down."  
"Alright…" Mei-Lin held up the light, illuminating the other walkway. "You first."

"Understood." Stepping away from the railings, the octoling spun around towards where the walkway abruptly ends, and went into a running start. Reaching the very edge of the rusting walkway, she crouched down and leapt towards the other walkway, successfully landing as she slid to a halt. The supports adhering to the rocks above the walkway disgorged some dust from the impact, but otherwise it held on just fine.  
"It's safe." Eliza said, turning round to face the inkling above her. "Now it's your turn."

"Okay… I'll-" Mei-Lin froze abruptly at the very edge of the walkway. Having gone for a closer look, it occurred to her right there that there was a frighteningly large distance between her walkway and Eliza's. The blackness that is the pitfall in the middle certainly doesn't help.

"A-ah…!" Mei-Lin backed away as quickly as her shaking legs could manage, grabbing hold onto the nearby railings for dear life with her free hand as she did so.  
"What's wrong?" Eliza asked, looking up at the trembling inkling. "Jump down."  
"It…it's…" Mei-Lin stuttered, glancing at her feet. "…I'm sorry. I don't have… good experiences with heights…"  
"Don't let appearances deceive you." Eliza replied. "Toss me the flashlight, I'll show you where you need to land."

Looking up at Eliza, Mei-Lin nodded. Still gripping hard on the railings, she lobbed the flashlight in Eliza's general direction. There was a clatter of plastic meeting metal as she missed the octoling entirely and the object landed just short of where she stood, but the beam of light revealed that the walkway Eliza was standing on extruded several feet from where she stood before it terminated.  
"Feeling confident now?" Eliza said, picking up and shining the flashlight at where the walkway stops.

"I…I think so." Tentatively letting go of the railings, Mei-Lin peered over the edge and towards her destination. While still quite a distance to jump, it seems manageable even for someone like her.  
Taking a deep breath, Mei-Lin imitated what Eliza and performed a running jump towards the walkway below. Feeling gravity quickly take hold of her body, she felt a sense of dread as she started to fall down.  
To her surprise however, she was able to jump further than she had anticipated, and she barely landed onto the walkway before her. Taken aback by the shock of the impact, she briefly stumbled forward a few steps before falling over onto the metallic surface.

"It is a lot easier than it looks, doesn't it?" Eliza remarked, reaching out a hand to help up Mei-Lin. "What may seem impossible only stays that way if you never attempt to prove otherwise."  
"…Yeah." Mei-Lin simply replied.  
"Good. Let us make haste."

Following the walkway, the two began making progress towards their current goal in silence. The path wound around the rocky structure, sometimes passing through other floating islands, but Mei-Lin could sense that they were getting closer towards the barely visible power station in the distance.

"…An obligation." Eliza eventually said.  
"What?" Mei-Lin responded, not sure what the octoling was talking about. "What do you mean?"  
"You were going to ask, weren't you?" Eliza replied, "What made me the way I am, correct?"  
"…something like that. But, what do you mean by an obligation?"

Eliza stopped in her tracks for a moment, and leaned on a nearby railing. Her eyes seemed unfocused, as she stared at a fixed point in the distance.

"My first memory…" She said, "Was crawling out of rubble. I was bruised, tired, and starving for food. All I can remember on that day was being pulled onto a stretcher, and voices all around me. I was barely conscious at the time, so I cannot even remember who my escorts were."

The octoling paused for a moment, before she continued. "It was only later on that I've realized I've developed amnesia. I cannot remember anything, my childhood, my past life, and the circumstances that led me to where I was. At that point, I can only rely on those around me, specifically those that nursed me back to health."

"You mean… Octavio and his soldiers?" Mei-Lin guessed.

"Yes… It was a routine sweep, and some of his octotroopers found me just outside the entrance to Sector 0. Had they not found me, I may have eventually perished. I felt I owed them a favor, so I requested to join their ranks as a form of gratitude."

Mei-Lin was somewhat astonished. "…I see."

"My earlier days… weren't very proud, however." Eliza continued. "It was clear that even as an octoling, I was different from the rest. People can be…shallow when it comes to appearances."

"You mean…" Mei-Lin's eyes drifted towards the excessively long tentacle that was wrapped around Eliza's left leg.

The octoling noticed where Mei-Lin was glancing, and nodded. "Yes… Back then, I had no means to express my feelings about their…opinions, aside from bouts of violence. It was troublesome, to say the least. Eventually, I resorted to simply demonstrating my superiority by surpassing them in exercises. It got me to where I am now…as one of Octavio's elite."

Eliza paused again, this time gently stroking the seaweed tied to her tentacles. "But…even as commander of the Blue-Ringed Menace squadron, the discrimination never stopped. They don't speak up anymore, but I can see it in their expression that my presence disgusts them. Even some of my own soldiers wear that same expression."

While Eliza didn't express her anger, Mei-Lin could see her fingers on the railing tighten ever so slightly. "All I could do then was to openly express my scorn." She said. "No one dared to approach me ever since."

A few moments of strained silence passed as neither party spoke up. As Eliza turned to face the pathway once again, Mei-Lin was completely stunned.

"I…" The inkling sputtered. "I don't know what to say."

Eliza shook her head. "You don't have to. That would be a waste of pity."

"N-no, it's not that. It's just…" Mei-Lin briefly paused for thought. "…if so many of your own comrades hate you for what you are… then why still be with them…?"

Abruptly, Eliza stopped in her tracks. Seeing this, Mei-Lin blurted out a quick apology.  
"…Oh… I…I shouldn't have said-"

"Truth be told... I'm not entirely sure myself." Eliza interrupted. "But… as judgmental as they are, they are still the ones that rescued me. In a manner of speaking, they may well be my family."

The octoling turned to face Mei-Lin. "That is what keeps me going: to protect those that are precious to me. That… is the obligation I speak of."

Motioning Mei-Lin to follow, Eliza spun round again to continue down the walkway. "Enough about the past. We have present matters to attend to. Come on."  
"…alright." Mei-Lin mumbled, somewhat confused. Following closely behind the octoling, the inkling's mind was once again crowded with fleeting thoughts.

" _She fights for her own kind… even for the ones that hate her?_ " She mused, " _That sounds… contradictory. Is it really true?_ "

The inkling shook her head. " _Can't be. Eliza was seriously blunt… she doesn't seem like the kind of person to tell a lie… right? Still… amnesia? Can it mold a person this easily?_ "

Absentmindedly, she began tapping on her own chin. " _I suppose… that would explain why Octavio and that octocopter he was talking to both seemed so reluctant to send Eliza to help us, if they had to put up with her for so much longer… But that still doesn't explain… how is she so…good…?_ "

Mei-Lin let out a cry of frustration, unable to think of a proper answer.  
"ARGH! I just don't get it…!" She grumbled aloud.

* * *

It wasn't that much longer afterwards that the duo reached the end of the walkway. Climbing up the ladder they came face to face with the power station, which looked even less remarkable up close now that the ruined remains of Low Tide Park's attractions were quite visible compared to before. Even the faded colors of the rides and carnival booths seemed full of life next to the dull gray building before them.

"We're here." Eliza remarked.  
"Y-yeah." Mei-Lin replied, "But where's the entrance?"  
"Hmm." Eliza peered at the building before them for a while. "This structure is larger than I expected from this angle. I'll circle round towards the right, you circle left. Holler if you find an opening of any sort."  
"Okay…?"

Mei-Lin watched as Eliza wandered off. Simply shrugging, she did as she was told, stickling close to the wall and walking along the opposite direction to which the octoling was.  
Unexpectedly, the building didn't seem to have any visible entrances. There weren't any signs to point the way either, so Mei-Lin just kept going, getting more puzzled with each step. With the flashlight now in Eliza's possession, she hugged the wall as much as she could in case she tripped over something.

Eventually, her trek led her into another dimly lit alleyway. Walking down the alley, Mei-Lin noticed that the walls were coated in crude graffiti, drawn with jet black paint.  
Noticing her hand was on one of the lines, she quickly withdrew her arm, abruptly stepping away from the wall as she examined the palm of her hand. Sighing a breath of relief as she realized the paint was dry, she looked up only to see the drawings in full before her.

Larger in comparison to the countless smaller random doodles surrounding it, the biggest drawing that dominated the wall composed of four octarians, each one a different type. The four appear to be in the act of holding up a roof of a building, while stick figures crowded around the four seemingly in awe. Atop the roof, there appears to be a crude circle drawn with 8 squiggly lines coming out of it, topped with a crude rendition of what Mei-Lin recognized as DJ Octavio's samurai hat.  
Having gotten her attention, Mei-Lin stepped in for a closer look at the drawing. Upon closer examination, she noticed an inscription right under the painting, which looked to be sprayed on with a stencil template:

" **It is here that the Under-Sea-Dogs are born. We pledge to one day give all octarians the recognition from our great leader that we deserve!**

 **-Heather/Morgan/Clarence/Anna** "

"Interesting…" She muttered. But before she could properly process the message, she could hear the sound of a crash not too far away, along with a yell that she could recognize as Eliza's. Following that, she could hear the sounds of a struggle taking place.

"…oh no." Her eyes widening in shock, Mei-Lin quickly retraced her steps back out of the alley, and back the way she came. Passing by the ladder, she followed the path which Eliza went down as quickly as her legs could carry her.

Rounding a corner, she immediately doubled back and hid. In the split second that it took for her to hide, she could spot Eliza pinned down on the floor, along with what she recognized as the octarian ruffians she had encountered yesterday looming over her. One was tying a length of rope around her left ankle, holding her unusually long tentacle in place.

"Grrr…! COWARDS!" The octoling bellowed, but then a sickening crunch came right afterwards, followed by a cry of agony.

"HAHAHA! Not so tough anymore ain'tcha?" One of the octotroopers taunted, having plowed a heel into the back of Eliza's hand. "She looks a lot more pathetic from up here!"  
"And that's that oversized limb taken care of!" Another octotrooper interjected. "Helpless as a fish outta water, I say!"

There was a deep laugh that followed afterwards, presumably belonging to the octobomber standing in front of Eliza. "Heh heh heh… You thought I was joking, weren'tcha? Well remember this, lady. When Big Al says he promises to come back for ya, he comes back for ya."

"Staging an ambush? You ruffians… ugh… certainly love to play it low." Eliza spat back.

"I'll take that as a complement." Big Al growled. "But enough talk. You may have turned the tables on us last time, but this time… we're the ones that will beat you to an inch of your life!"

Watching the events unfold before her, Mei-Lin couldn't bear to watch anymore. As the octobomber raised a massive tentacle, preparing to slam the limb down onto the helpless octoling, she suddenly felt her mind go blank. Without thinking, she rushed round the corner, and ran straight in front of the oncoming tentacle, taking the full force of the impact.

"AAAHHHH!"

She hit the ground close to Eliza, a bruise forming on her neck where the tentacle had struck her. In her peripheral vision, she could see Big Al's octotroopers step away in surprise.

"What the… you again?!" the octobomber bellowed. "Unbelievable! How stupid are you!?"

"M-Mei-Lin?" Eliza groaned, just as in shock as the goons around her.

Without replying, Mei-Lin dragged herself off the floor slowly as everyone around her watched in disbelief. Despite the searing pain on her neck, she faced the octobomber before her, and meekly raised her arms, shielding Eliza from him.  
"S…Stop." She moaned between labored breaths, "Don't…hurt…her…"

"Don't get in my way!" Big Al shouted, his temper flaring up. "This is MY business you're interrupting!"

He struck out again, this time in Mei-Lin's abdomen. She fell over again, clutching her side with one arm. But gritting her teeth, she got back up once more, holding out her other arm as before.

"…Are you serious?" The octobomber growled. "You're an inkling, and you're seriously defending that octoling? ARE YOU RETARDED?!"

"N-no..." Mei-Lin could feel tears forming in her eyes again. "You… are… wrong…"

"Don't think we haven't been scouting out the premises!" One of the octotroopers spoke up. "We saw ye! You were going to jump down a cliff after that woman said some mean things to you yesterday!"

"…!" Eliza's eyes widened in response to the revelation.

"Now we're teaching 'er a lesson in manners!" the octotrooper continued, "You of all people should be pleased that we're-"

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Mei-Lin screamed, causing the octotroopers around her to recoil. "She…she…"

The inkling shuddered for a moment, before she coughed out a spray of auburn.

"…she may be cold, but deep down… she's a compassionate person! She wanted to help me… be a better fighter… and she was here…because she wanted to do something for her people! Eliza... I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!" Mei-Lin stretched out her free hand as far as she could, the arm trembling in a combination of effort and pain.

The octobomber's eyes twitched in anger. "Fine… if you're going to be stubborn like that… I'll just BEAT it out of you!"

Mei-Lin closed her eyes as she felt a third strike impact the side of her head, knocking her to a nearby wall. Colliding with it, she crumpled from the blow and slid down the bricks, feeling a trickle of liquid run down the side of her head.  
As she slowly faded into unconsciousness, she could see Eliza rising from the ground through her blurry vision, her face uncharacteristically a mask of fury…

* * *

"…are you awake?"

Mei-Lin woke up, feeling a stinging pain all over her body. Regaining her senses, she realized she was being carried in Eliza's arms.  
"Ah!" She cried, feeling her face flush in embarrassment.  
"Easy, try to stay still." The octoling said, her tone strangely softer than usual. "You're recovering fast, but you're still injured."

Feeling Eliza lower her onto a nearby pillar, Mei-Lin took the time to assess her surroundings. Hearing the faint hum of electricity, she realized she was inside the power station.  
"What… what happened?" She asked softly, her voice still weak from the ordeal. "Are we at… Smokestack?"  
"Not yet." Eliza replied, shaking her head. "We're right next to the trapdoor which leads into the plant itself. But we cannot climb down just yet in your current state."

Mei-Lin simply nodded, looking around the area and noticing the trapdoor in question just a few steps away. Remembering what one of the octotroopers mentioned, she immediately faced the octoling.  
"Hey… Eliza-"  
"Don't say another word… I know." Eliza interrupted, averting her eyes. "I wish I had known sooner."  
"It…it's not your fault!" Mei-Lin argued.  
"No… this is definitely where I am at fault, there is no arguments to be made here." The octoling was notably distraught despite her usual demeanor. "I almost drove an innocent civilian into suicide! How do you expect me to live such a deed down?!"

Eliza stood up once more, her expression darkening. "At the very least… I made it up to you… the only way I can."  
Mei-Lin was confused. "What… do you mean?"  
"Those ruffians… will not be bothering us anymore." Eliza said, facing away from Mei-Lin. "Rest easy now."

It was then Mei-Lin noticed an open door just to the side. Beyond the doorway, she could see a trail of fuchsia that spread from close to a nearby wall, that trailed all the way out of the building, and which led down a cliff in the far distance.

Realizing what has occurred, she shuddered.

"Eliza…" Mei-Lin whispered. "Was… was that necessary?"

There was a period of silence as the two simply stayed quiet, the hum of machinery thick in the air.

"…I acted on instinct." Eliza eventually replied. "After seeing what you've done and hearing what you said, my body moved on its own. Strange, isn't it?"  
"No… I didn't know what I was doing either." Mei-Lin muttered. "Is this… what Katelyn referred to as 'fighting for her friends'?"  
"I would find it stranger that you would see me as a 'friend', even after what I had done." Eliza replied, turning back at Mei-Lin. "Why?"  
Mei-Lin simply sighed. "…I don't know… People can make unusual decisions at times… you know? Maybe there isn't an answer."  
"Possibly."

Deciding to take a rest as well, Eliza sat down at the wall closest to the trapdoor. Another period of time passed as the two stayed quiet, merely staring into space.  
Eventually, Mei-Lin could no longer feel the most recent pain in her cheek. Carefully leaning on the pillar, she slowly climbed up with both hands pressed onto the wall, trying to stand up.

"Recovered, have we?" Eliza asked.  
"Yeah… I'm fine now…" Mei-Lin confirmed, "Let's go."  
"Very well then. Let us rejoin your friends down below."

As Mei-Lin watched Eliza grapple onto the ladder just within the trapdoor and began her descent, she followed suit shortly afterwards.  
" _Is there really not an answer…?_ " She thought to herself, grabbing hold of the top rung. " _Who in their right mind would get themselves in harm's way just to prevent another being harmed? Surely… that goes against basic survival instinct? Am I insane?_ "  
Carefully slipping her legs into the trapdoor, she planted a foot onto a lower rung. Playing back her train of thought, she smiled faintly.

" _If that's the case…_ " She mused as she descended into the depths of the earth. " _I wouldn't mind being insane…for a bit._ "

* * *

 **AN: Hmm... I think I'm slipping. Perhaps it's just my imagination, but my writing style seems to have frayed a little on the seams. Don't think it's affecting the quality all too much... at least I hope so.**

 **Well, regardless of whether my writing ability has weakened or not, this is an absurdly tough chapter to put out, same reasons as the last one featuring Mei-Lin, really. Taking the time to bounce conversation subjects back and forth between me and ThePizzaLovingTurtle helped a bit, but this did take up more time than it needed to.  
So...what now? Well, now that I've returned to university, I may be having trouble getting more chapters out. Hopefully it won't lead to that several month break that I ended up taking a while back... I hope.**


	32. Crumbling Earth, Scalding Flame

**Crumbling Earth, Scalding Flame**

* * *

DJ Octavio was, to his delight, pleasantly surprised from how things have developed.

Looking down from a scaffold of steel stacked several stories high, he could see the entire cavern stretch out before him. From where he was all the way to the entrance of Sector 0, multitudes of inkling agents and his own octarian soldiers have scattered all around the open area, now that their hours-long labor has finally concluded. Some have gathered into groups and have begun sharing banter, while many others found themselves nearby flat surfaces to curl up and rest, the fatigue from working overnight catching up to them.  
The entrance itself was no longer obstructed by rubble, in fact the aged octopus has a clear view of the dimly lit tunnel just beyond, along with a few openings widened by mining sticking out of the sides. Welded steel girders lined the walls of the tunnel beyond, supporting the deteriorating structure. It wouldn't be strong enough to last indefinitely, but it would most certainly keep the tunnel mouth open for several hours, more than enough time for the upcoming operation.

Turning round, he could see Captain Cuttlefish talking to a few of his agents, while not far back Callie and Marie were fiddling with the communications console. While he wasn't as paranoid as his old friend, Octavio was still somewhat skeptical that the inkling captain would agree to assist him with the rescue operation in the first place without some manner of payment, so it was a relief that he was wrong. Coming to the conclusion that Cuttlefish's granddaughters likely had some part in his selfless decision, the DJ decided to make a mental note to thank them later.

"Looks like everything's ready." Octavio remarked, beckoning towards the captain. "What say we get this show on the road?"  
"Hmm, what was that?" The aged squid mumbled, glancing at Octavio before looking back at the Agents. "Sorry squiddos, gotta cut this chat short. You lot better get into position, alright?"

The Agents saluted briefly, before running down a nearby ramp to rejoin their fellow comrades. Seeing them off with a wave of his hat, Cuttlefish turned to face the octarian leader.  
"I was a little preoccupied right there." The elderly squid remarked, walking alongside Octavio, "All my Agents are pretty tired out, none of them are used to working overnight like this."  
"Eh, it's not like my lads are faring that much better." Octavio replied, passing by a dozy octocopter that was barely able to keep himself aloft, "Brings back some fond memories, eh? Remember back when we had to work that overnight shift at… where was it again…?"  
"Oho, that old guard tower just outside Inkopolis, of course!" Cuttlefish chuckled briefly, "We were desperately trying to keep ourselves awake, and…"  
"…we rewired the intercom to play some of my early mixtapes on full blast!" The old octopus guffawed loudly at the recollection. "It kept everyone in a mile-wide radius awake! GAHAHAHA!"  
"It was worth the yelling we got once our shift ended." The aged captain was barely able to conceal a mischievous smirk under his beard. "It's odd though, I don't think Ol' Bossy was angry at us because of the noise pollution…"  
"Ah, what does that old coot know?" Octavio shrugged his tentacles dismissively. "He knows nothing of real art!"

"Hey Gramps, are you and Octavio done swapping old war stories yet?" Callie interjected, looking up from the console.  
"Hate to interrupt, but we just got confirmation from that Eliza lady." Marie said, putting down a headset. "She's on her way towards Smokestack with Mei-Lin. Those five should be converging on the geothermal plant anytime soon."

"Oh, is that so?" Cuttlefish cleared his throat before speaking. "Alright everyone, we'll need to start the briefing for the next phase of the operation! Octavio, I'll need you to get the octoling commanders in charge of the octarian forces here to meet me in the briefing room. Agents 1 and 2, I'll need you two to spread the word among the other Agents, let them know that phase 2 will be kicking in soon."  
"Roger-dodger!"  
"Got it, Gramps."  
"Alright, old friend. I'll let 'em know."  
"Good! If none of us have any questions, we'll meet up in the briefing room in 5 minutes." Captain Cuttlefish announced. "Let's move out!"

As the Squid Sisters and the octarian leader split in separate directions, Captain Cuttlefish looked around briefly as he watched them leave him behind. Making sure they were out of sight, the aged squid went off down a nearby ramp himself.  
"Right then…" He muttered to himself, "I'm sure my grandsquids wouldn't mind if I… 'inspected' the pantry for a while..."

* * *

"So everyone's here, I take it?" Octavio asked, looking around the base of operations. Admittedly, it was only a corner of the cavern cordoned off with two sets of curtains with a singular rickety table in the middle, but it gets the job done regardless.

"Seems about right!" Callie replied, glancing sideways at Marie and Captain Cuttlefish (the former was staring suspiciously at the crumbs displace on the latter's beard). "What about the octolings in charge of the octarian rescue forces?"  
"That would be me and Beth." An Octoling Elite replied, saluting across the table alongside her fellow commander. "My name's Rachel, pleased to meet ya. I don't suppose I could have an autograph...?"  
"Rachel!" The octoling named Beth scolded.  
Rachel averted her gaze back towards Octavio, somewhat flustered. "…sorry."

"Looks to me the crew's gathered around!" Cuttlefish remarked, trying not to make eye contact with Marie, "I'll let you have the table, Octavio."  
"Alright then." Octavio began. He withdrew a rolled up piece of paper and unfurled it across the table, revealing a rough map of Sector 0. "So as we all know, the objective of this operation is to rescue whatever survivors are still trapped down within Sector 0, a task that will be running parallel to the recon squad's expedition to the Point of Power down within Smokestack. While Eliza and those other kids get on with their task, we will be diverting our efforts into getting those trapped octarians outta there."

"We've gotten ourselves a few markers to make things easy to understand." Cuttlefish said, piling a bunch of seemingly random junk onto the table. Within the pile, there was a bunch of used soda cans, plastic bottles, metallic bowls, a handful of old chess pieces and a singular half-ground wasabi stick.  
"Here, the soda cans represent my forces, while the plastic bottles represent Cuttlefish's forces." Octavio explained. "The bowls here are UFOs, I'll get into detail on them later."  
"Wait, what about that one?" Callie interrupted, pointing towards a crumpled magazine nearby. "What does that represent?"  
DJ Octavio glanced briefly at the magazine, before a drop of cold sweat immediately rolled down his head. The cover was featuring a picture of a scantily-clad octoling woman displayed in what could only be described as a provocative pose.  
"Oh…that." Octavio nervously mumbled, casually picking up the magazine and lobbing it outside the curtains. "That's irrelevant."  
"Okay…?" Callie watched as a small handful of curious agents just outside picked up the magazine, a myriad of hushed voices and stifled laughter quickly following afterwards.

"So…anyway." Cuttlefish continued, "Thanks to the reconnaissance done by those squiddos, we now know the situation involving the octarians down there. While the situation involving their stance on inklings weren't as bad as I had expected, I'd expect that we would still be met with considerable resistance if they see Agents running about."  
"This is where we come into play." Octavio said, having quickly regained his composure. Grabbing the pile of soda cans and plastic bottles, the aged octopus placed them neatly on the map. "While Cuttlefish's Agents would not be a pretty sight to them, seeing an organized squad of octarian soldiers should put them at ease."  
With a few tentacles, Octavio moved the soda cans onto the markings representing the military complex and the civilian district. "Of course, we only have to do this for two locations. The trapped octarians are mainly situated in the military fortress, as well as the civilian district dome. The Grand Library dome is deserted aside from Cuttlefish's trapped Agents, and Low-Tide Park is completely empty, so we won't need to send any octarians over there."  
"Octavio's forces will explain the situation to the trapped octarians." Cuttlefish said, picking up a few plastic bottles and placing them alongside the soda cans. "Once we have the all-clear, we'll swoop in and assist with evacuation. With our combined efforts, we should be able to clean out Sector 0 in only a few hours at most."

"Alright, then how do those fit in all this?" Marie asked, pointing towards the collection of metal bowls. "You mentioned something about UFOs."  
"Ah right, thanks for the reminder!" Octavio replied, lifting the topmost bowl and placing it on top of one of the soda cans. "Getting everyone out of Sector 0 is the tough part of this mission. The only way out from those domes are through the ceiling, since the kettle transmission system for those domes have long since been broken down. We've managed to commission some spare UFOs though, so those should get the job done."

"UFOs?!" Callie exclaimed, interested. Walking away from the table, the Squid Sister peeled back a curtain, and saw a convoy of octarians escorting a series of flying saucers, each one the size of a small van. Equally interested, Marie also joined in for a closer look.  
"Erm… I'm not seeing a lot of 'em." Callie remarked, stepping away from the curtains. "How are we going to fit all our Agents in there, AND the octarian civilians? They all look pretty small to me…"  
"That's where octarian ingenuity shines, Agent 1." Beth interjected, "These things are much bigger on the inside than the outside. One of those can house up to a couple hundred octarians alone. The ten we have should be more than enough for the job"  
"Wait, you've ridden on one of those?!" Rachel exclaimed, glancing at her fellow octoling. "I didn't think you'd have the guts!"  
"It's not bad." Beth shrugged, "Not sure why the interior smells like old cheese though…"

"I believe we can also charter a UFO to pick up the Agents in the Grand Library, so that leaves the recon squad in Smokestack itself." Octavio grabbed the chess pieces and placed them onto the part of the map representing the power plant. "Unfortunately, the only way down into the power plant itself is through access hatches from the domes surrounding it, so we won't be able to drive our UFOs down there."  
"That… doesn't sound good." Marie remarked. "Got any ideas?"

Captain Cuttlefish and DJ Octavio looked at one another, before the latter eventually spoke up. "There IS one method. Since Low-Tide Park is deserted, we've decided that it would be the best place to perform an excavation. We'll drill an entirely new tunnel from the bottom of the Park dome, all the way down into Smokestack itself. I'll personally handle this part of the operation myself, I've made some adjustments to my DJ booth so it can do a bit of hands-on mining."  
"But sir…!" Rachel interrupted, showing an expression of concern. "Isn't that dangerous?!"  
Octavio faced the elite octoling, giving her a reassuring nod. "If you're worried about my wellbeing, don't be. The shields oughta be more than enough to stop any debris from the mining operation from squashing me flat."  
"An extra tunnel might affect Sector 0's integrity though." Beth added. "Rescuing the recon team would have to come after the civilians have been evacuated."  
"That is the plan, of course." Cuttlefish replied, "We'll just have to hope we don't hit a snag in the process."  
"That's not particularly reassuring…" Rachel mumbled under her breath.

"Alright, now!" Octavio shouted, facing everyone else around the table. "If there are no more questions, I'd like everyone to get into position! Beth, Rachel, let the octarians know the plan, and get those UFOs prepped!"  
"YES SIR!" The Elites simultaneously replied, saluting before running out.  
"You heard 'em!" The aged sea captain exclaimed, turning towards Callie and Marie, "Agents, spread the word! We'll stand ready for when Octavio's forces give the all-clear!"  
"Got it, Gramps!" Callie replied.  
"We'll also let the recon team know about the plan." Marie added. "C'mon Callie, we gotta jet!"

As the Squid Sisters left the briefing room as well, only DJ Octavio and Captain Cuttlefish remained. As Cuttlefish prepared to leave as well, he briefly paused with one hand on the curtain.

"I must say… you're quite impressive." Cuttlefish remarked. "Even if it's just to rescue four inklings and one of your octolings, you're willing to jump into the fray yourself for the sake of your own race. Not many can claim that."

"Why exactly are you surprised?" Octavio simply replied. "I've done it once before, remember?"

Cuttlefish nodded, before leaving the room. "…True. True."

* * *

If one were to glance at the remains of the Smokestack Geothermal Plant, it would still be fairly easy to surmise that once upon a time the landmark was an architectural miracle. A gargantuan complex of steel and concrete, the building lies suspended from just a few meters away from the half of the dome it was housed in, all the way down to the bowels of the earth. While the structure was technically still incomplete, with unfinished walls and rusted construction equipment littered here and there, the faint sounds of groaning pumps and hissing steam was indicative of the efficiency of octarian engineering used in the construction, with the automated mechanism still active despite years of burial and lack of supervision.  
At the very top of the structure, a series of power cables snaked around a support pole, before they split and redirected into four access ducts welded to the ceiling. Traces of power still lingering within the wiring, a faint hum can be heard emitting from the wires as they transported power to every corner of Sector 0.

One of the access ducts briefly shuddered, before feet kicked open the hatch covering it. With a grunt of effort, a certain masked inking climbed down a few rungs within the vent, hanging on to the lowest rung for a moment before dropping down onto the structure, his feet making a metallic clang as it made contact with the surface.

"Huh. Looks like I got here first." Cobalt remarked, briefly assessing his surroundings. Taking a deep breath, he immediately gagged at the heavy stench of sulfur permeating the air, despite the gas mask on his face "Okay… *cough*, I guess I'll just wait here…"

He didn't have to wait very long. Only a few moments after his arrival, another vent shook briefly before Katelyn fell from it, the inkling landing onto the roof on her arms and knees.  
"Oww…" Katelyn groaned, before looking up and noticing who was standing before her. "Cobalt! You're alright! I thought you're…"  
"I dunno what you think I've gotten myself into, but I'm standing here, aren't I?" Cobalt remarked, his eyes trailing towards Katelyn's skates. "Dig the new footwear you got there, by the way."  
"Yeah, well it's not very good at climbing down ladders with." Katelyn dragged herself up from the floor, shrugging off the pain from the impact. "Where's Mei-Lin and Chris?"  
The masked inkling simply shrugged. "Still waiting on 'em. Reckon they should be on their way here."  
"Mmhmm…"

Curious at her surroundings, Katelyn stepped over towards the handlebars at the very edge of the roof, and peeked over the edge. From her vantage point, the cave seemed to stretch all the way down into the earth, until it seemed to abruptly stop at a glowing orange pool at the very bottom. Unexpectedly, she was also met with a sudden blast of scalding hot air, causing the inkling to quickly withdraw her head in shock.  
"Magma?!" Katelyn exclaimed. "I don't even want to imagine falling down there…"  
"You don't say." Cobalt replied, wiping a bead of sweat off his neck. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"I think we can all agree on that." Right on cue, another vent cover clattered to the floor as Chris emerged from above, the inkling dusting himself off. "Good to see the two of you are still hanging in there."  
"Ditto." Cobalt replied. "So that leaves Mei-Lin…"  
"…and that octoling…" Katelyn finished, her face falling. "Oh… I completely forgot about her."

Chris sighed as his gaze directed upwards towards the vents. "Yeah… me too. It's just…"

"I don't even want to think about her." Katelyn said flatly, her fists clenching. "That woman… she's…!"

"…still mad at her, huh?" Cobalt remarked.

"Of COURSE I am!" Katelyn yelled, angered. "The way she was treating Mei-Lin and the rest of us! What kind of high and mighty slimeball does she think she is!?"

"Woah, easy there! She's not even here yet!" Cobalt raised his palms in self-defense as he backed away a few steps. "You can take out your grievances on her once she shows herself! I'm not having any part in this!"

"That's…! NNNNGH!" Her eyes half closed in barely suppressed rage, Katelyn faced away from Cobalt. "If that octoling's done anything to Mei-Lin, I'll-"

"If you have a problem with me, take it up with me directly." A voice interrupted. "Criticizing a person behind their backs is an undignified move."

Cobalt watched as Eliza emerged from the very last closed vent and leapt down in front of Katelyn. Sensing the atmosphere getting tense, he wandered close to a pile of cement powder close to his position, preparing to duck down.

"You…" Katelyn grumbled, staring daggers at the octoling sniper. "Where's Mei-Lin?"  
"Your companion's climbing down after me." Eliza began. "She should be-"

Abruptly, whatever the octoling had in mind was interrupted as Mei-Lin unexpectedly fell out of the vent like a ragdoll, crumping on the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. Noticing this, Katelyn immediately ran to Mei-Lin's side as everyone else in the vicinity stared wide-eyed in shock.

"MEI-LIN!" Katelyn exclaimed, cradling her friend in her arms as she gently lifted her head from the ground. "W-what happened to you?!"

"U-urgh…" Mei-Lin groaned. A stain of auburn was growing on her undershirt. "K-Kate…lyn…?"

Lifting up the inkling's garments, Katelyn could see a nasty bruise leaking a steady stream of liquid from her abdomen. "You… you're injured! How did this happen!?"

"...attacked…" Mei-Lin mumbled weakly. "…oct…E-eliza…"

"I…" Katelyn was struck dumb at her friend's grievous state. Laying her down gently, she immediately went for her Inkbrush and pointed it straight at Eliza.

"Katelyn!" Chris yelled. Close by, Cobalt immediately huddled down and hid behind the sand bags.

"Alright, I HAD it with you!" Katelyn bellowed, her rage coming forth. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"She… she told me she was alright!" Eliza retorted, backing away from the Inkbrush. "I…I haven't expected this…"

"Put your weapon away! We can't fight among ourselves like this!" Chris tried to reason with Katelyn, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Some escort you are! YOU'RE THE LOWEST!" Incensed, Katelyn looked as if she was about to murder the octoling before her. "I shouldn't have trusted you! By the time I'm done, you'll be-"

"Wait…! K-Katelyn…"

Alarmed, Katelyn turned to face the floor. Mei-Lin was upright, clutching her side in pain.

"M-Mei-Lin, don't get up!" Katelyn was aghast. "In your state, you can't-"

"Please…don't…" Mei-Lin tried to get up on her feet, but fell forward instead. "She…"

"W-what?" Katelyn watched as Chris ran past her and helped Mei-Lin on her feet. "What are you talking about?"

"She saved my life!" Mei-Lin spluttered forcibly, clutching onto Chris's shoulder. "Please… I-I don't want to see the two of you fight…"

Arms falling to her side, Katelyn stared at the pained Mei-Lin with an expression of disbelief. Seemingly in a daze, she looked back at Eliza, then back at Mei-Lin. Closing her eyes, she gritted her teeth in frustration.  
"…dammit! You just had to put me in a position like this!"  
Reluctantly, Katelyn replaced the Inkbrush behind her back, forcing herself to stay calm. A few moments later, she opened her eyes, glaring at Eliza.

"I won't lie." She said, "The way you treated Mei-Lin when we first met. If… we weren't on this mission, I would've definitely fought you right then and there. I cannot tolerate my friends being hurt, no matter what."

"…" Eliza didn't reply, still mildly shocked by Katelyn's aggression.

"I don't know what happened between you and Mei-Lin while you two were alone. But… you saved her from danger. I'm still mad at you, but I can't overlook that." Katelyn looked away absentmindedly. "…Thanks."

Eliza watched as Katelyn walked away and leaned onto a nearby railing, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Acknowledging her attempt at an apology, she gave a slight nod in her direction.

"…it has been a long time since I've been thanked by someone." Eliza remarked, letting a few moments pass before composing herself. "Mei-Lin needs immediate medical attention. If we don't take care of that wound on her side, your friend isn't going to make it very far through the plant."  
"You don't say." Chris interjected, trying to lay down Mei-Lin onto a nearby wall. "Got any clue where we can find first aid?"  
"This area is still under construction. A place like this should have medical supplies nearby on hand in case of an accident." Eliza turned to face Katelyn. "Katelyn, I'll need you to look for a first aid box. I'll need one with bandages, sterilized gloves, a sponge and stabilizing gel. Can you do that?"  
"…oh! On it!" Without a second to lose, the inkling immediately rushed off, scouring the roof for anything usable.

"Stabilizing gel?" Cobalt remarked, emerging from his shelter of cement bags. "Never heard of it…"  
"Not surprising. This kind of wound only shows up on inklings that don't transform very often." Chris explained. "Her body's breaking down due to excessive trauma. Apart from halted regeneration, weakness and loss of motor skills, this wound will slowly spread until her body loses consistency and collapses entirely. I can see why Eliza looks so concerned."  
"Oof, sounds rough." Cobalt said, examining the patch of auburn underneath Mei-Lin's hand. "Have you seen this kind of injury before?"

Chris didn't speak up for a few short moments, trying to keep Mei-Lin's hand steady before replying. "…Only one another time. A long time ago."

"Hey, is this what you were looking for?" Katelyn interrupted, returning with a small box emblazoned with a red cross.  
"Yes, that's it." Eliza replied, accepting the box. "Chris, help me get this parka off of her. I need room to work."

"Oh…! Um…alright." Chris muttered, slightly embarrassed as he went and undid the buttons on Mei-Lin's parka. Carefully slipping off the coat, Chris folded it neatly before setting it aside Mei-Lin's limp body, which was sporting a long-sleeved plain black shirt underneath the parka.  
"Wearing long sleeves all the way down here? Yeesh, and with the parka to boot." Chris mumbled, carefully rolling up the sleeves on Mei-Lin's shirt. "Are you trying to cook yourself alive?"  
Mei-Lin didn't have the strength to speak up, but she responded with a weak smile regardless.

"Good." Eliza said, putting on the sterilized gloves from the first aid box. "I'll take it from here, stand back."

The team watched as Eliza went to work, sponging off any excess liquid around Mei-Lin's wound, before patching her up with the medical supplies. As Katelyn watched while the octoling applied the stabilizing gel on her friend's injury, Cobalt noticed a growing expression of guilt on her face.  
"Something bothering you?" He asked, with a look of concern.  
"…Yeah." Katelyn said softly. "I feel bad that I have to just stand here and wait while Mei-Lin's life is on the line. I almost attacked the one helping her right now, to boot."  
"Don't worry about it, the feeling's mutual." The masked inkling grunted. "My job's to beat up any bad guys that come our way. If you ask me to patch someone up, I'd probably get myself tangled up in bandages."  
"Pfft… you probably would. Still…" Katelyn turned to face Cobalt. "…you think I might be a little overprotective?"  
Cobalt simply shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe a little."  
"…right." Katelyn went back to staring at her injured friend, lost in thought.

"Okay, this should do for now." Eliza said, fastening the bandage in place as she finished up the first aid. "Can you stand?"  
"N-ngh…" Mei-Lin groaned, leaning on the wall for support as she tried to get up. "…Kinda."  
"Good. That stabilizing gel needs time to work however, so you cannot transform while it's doing its job." Eliza turned to face the rest of the inklings. "I do hope none of you would mind walking on your own two feet."  
"Eh, I'm used to it." Cobalt replied. "I found some stairs just over that way. I'll go on ahead, scout out the place."

"…sorry. Am I being a burden again?" Mei-Lin muttered as she watched Cobalt run off in search of the entrance. "Because of me…"  
"It's alright. As long as none of us are in danger, we'll put up with it." Chris reassured, slinging one of Mei-Lin's arms over his shoulder as he carried her. "C'mon, we gotta move before we lose Cobalt."  
As the two slowly hobbled after the masked inkling, Mei-Lin smiled softly at the remark.  
"…Thanks."

As Eliza went to pack up the first aid box, Katelyn went over to pick up the parka on the floor. Turning to face the inkling, Eliza then noticed the skates she was wearing.  
"…hmm? That footwear…" The octoling muttered.  
"…Oh, these skates?" Katelyn replied, "What?"  
Eliza stared at the skates for an extended period of time, before shaking her head. "It's…nothing."  
"Huh…" Katelyn ignored the octoling's remark, stowing the parka away in her backpack before skating after the group.

"Have I… seen them before…?" Eliza muttered under her breath, following closely behind the inklings as they entered the geothermal plant.

* * *

"*kzzzt* Hello? Can you *kzzzt* hear me?"

As the group descended down the dimly lit and heavily rusted stairs, Chris reached up to his headset to reply.  
"Is that you, Marie?" He replied, adjusting his headset. "You're breaking up a bit."  
"Actually, we're together *kzzt* this time!" Callie's voice answered, somewhat marred by static. "Is the gang all there? How's everyone *kzzt* doing?"  
"We're all here. Mei-Lin though… she's hurt." Katelyn replied, "She can't transform in her state, so we have to go on foot for now."  
"That doesn't sound good." Marie remarked. "Listen, we're here to let you know that *kzzt* we're set with preparations on the rescue operation over here. Just thought we'd relay the *kzzt* plan to you before you go too far down."  
"Alright then, spill it." Chris replied. "What's the plan?"

As the team was informed of the course of operations, Cobalt rounded a corner on the stairway, before noticing that some of the pipes up ahead had split and were spilling steam onto their path. With a sigh, he examined where the pipes lead, before noticing a valve tucked away in an isolated corner further down.  
"Path's blocked!" Cobalt yelled back. "I'll go on ahead, clear a path!"  
"Alright, just be careful!" Chris echoed back. "We'll wait here!"  
Switching into squid form, Cobalt carefully slipped under the jets of scalding steam, eventually reaching the bottom of the stairs. As he switched back to normal, the masked inkling reached for the valve, closing off the flow of steam above.  
" _That oughta do it._ " Cobalt thought to himself. " _Now I just need to- hmm?_ "

Something attracted the inkling's attention. Close by, he could hear a few voices emitting from a vent, the cover long since rusted off. Curious, Cobalt switched back into squid form, quietly crawling into the exposed shaft.  
Following the sound of the voices, Cobalt eventually reached a spot that seemed to extend above a room further down, the sounds coming from there. Sliding forward for a closer look, he could barely make out three octarians in the shadows, conversing.

"…really! What's gotten into the two of you?!" One of the octarians shouted in a familiar rustic accent. "It's like someone went and sucked the enthusiasm outta ya with a straw!"

" _Wait, I know that voice… that's that Heather character, isn't it? How'd she get here before us?_ " Cobalt thought to himself. Squinting, he could indeed make out Heather in the room, along with two other octarians he couldn't recognize.

"I've known ya for a long time, Morgan." Heather continued. "And I've never seen ya so out of it! Weren't you the one that wanted to bring glory to the Under-Sea-Dogs the most?! I don't think I've ever seen Clarence look this concerned either! Can both of ya tell me what's going on 'ere?"

"I still am, Heather!" Morgan argued, flinching uncomfortably. "It's just…"

"Just what? Inklings are our enemies, aren't they?!" Heather waved a tentacle around the decrepit room. "Have you forgotten already? The reason why we have to fight for our lives in this junk heap every day, scrounging for resources like a bunch of bottom-feeders is because they forced us down here!"

"We are aware of that." Clarence replied solemnly. "But, we've adapted and changed to this subterranean environment. Surely the inklings must have changed over time during our absence…"

"And how are you so sure of that?"

Clarence stayed silent for a few moments before speaking up. "There was… a rogue monstrosity in the Grand Library. When I fought that beast, the inkling prisoners distracted it, even when they are unable to do anything and would have most likely perished in battle. Unusual behavior, for what are supposed to be our enemies."

"I concur." Morgan added. "One of the inkling invaders passed by the civilian district. When I chased her down, she stopped fighting back after some of her projectiles landed close to civilians. The inklings we know from those old stories didn't care about collateral damage, far from it."

"Tsk… So what if we have some odd ones out of the bunch?" Heather retorted. "Have you forgotten what happened to Anna!?"

Morgan visibly flinched from the name, something Clarence seemed to notice. "Heather… you promised not to bring her up."

"I didn't want to either, but it seems like the two of you have forgotten about her!" Heather was practically yelling now. "We've still got her equipment lying around in the lockup! Timmy still thinks she's on a long trip from home! I… I just don't think I can keep lying to that kid about how she's…"

"ENOUGH!" Morgan bellowed, distraught. "I understand…"

An atmosphere of sorrow seemed to linger over the octarians. Even Cobalt was considering backing out of eavesdropping, but he steeled himself to continue listening.

"…I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself." Heather apologized. "I just can't forget about 'er…"

"We all can't. It's okay." Clarence reassured. "It's like we used to say: 'We are the Under-Sea-Dogs.'"  
"'Even in rain, in sleet,'" Morgan continued with a wry smile.  
"'Or amidst the rising flames of war,'"

"'Our spirits are linked, no matter what.'" Heather finished. "Yeah… I forgot about that lil' oath. Thanks, guys."

There was a shuffling of feet as the octarians embraced in a group hug. After a while, they broke apart, standing back where they were.

"So… what were you suggesting earlier?" Morgan began. "The inklings were coming here?"  
"Exactly." Heather replied. "The one I was tailing slipped past me, just to go down the shaft that led here. Yours was headed towards the bulb that also comes here. If the pattern is consistent, then the one Clarence was tailing WANTED to go to the basement in the Grand Library to get here."

Morgan seemed shocked. "You don't mean-"  
"Most likely. They were coming here to Smokestack Geothermal Plant. Our home base." Clarence finished, his gaze slowly trailing upwards. "For all we know, they could be here already…"

" _Oh crap._ " As Clarence glanced suspiciously at the vent, Cobalt immediately crawled back a few inches, staying out of sight.

"We'll need to stop them before they go any further and get to our sanctuary at the bottom. Only way down to where that is would be via the freight lift…" Heather continued, coming up with a plan. "We'll need to intercept 'em right there."  
"You don't mean…" Morgan began.  
"Oh, quit yer bleeding heart, Morgan! We won't splat 'em if you're so certain they're not going to cause a ruckus!" Heather grumbled. "How does beating them to an inch of their life sound?"  
"Not much better, but it sends a message regardless." Clarence quipped. "I'm okay with it."

" _That's all I need to hear._ " Cobalt thought to himself, as he made his way back.

* * *

"I was wondering where you went. Sheesh!" Chris grumbled as he watched Cobalt crawl back out of the vent. "I got a little worried when you weren't replying to my comms."  
"It was a reckless move." Eliza scolded. "Splitting off the group like that. It better be worth the effort."

"Well, it was." Cobalt retorted, switching back to normal as he cleared the vent. "Found some octarians down there, seems to be the Under-Sea-Dogs ones that have been tailing us throughout Sector 0."  
"Wait, what? How'd they get here before us?" Katelyn asked, puzzled. "I thought I lost the one chasing me!"  
"My question exactly. Could it be they know a faster way down here that we do not?" Chris mused. "It might even be our ticket outta here. Hmm…"

As the other inklings pondered among themselves, Mei-Lin noticed Eliza also deep in thought, but with an oddly pained expression. Noticing that the numbness in her legs seemed to be fading, she split off from Chris and walked up to the octoling sniper.  
"Is…something wrong?" Mei-Lin asked.  
"Under-Sea-Dogs… Strange." Eliza muttered. "I have a vague memory of hearing such a name…but where?"

Before she could think any harder about the name, however, the group was interrupted by an intercom blasting feedback throughout the entire factory, causing everyone's ears to ring from the noise.

"OW, OW! I should've turned down the reverb…" Heather's voice issued through the speakers before the sound of cranking dials can be heard. "*ahem* This is the Under-Sea-Dogs speaking! I know y'all can hear me, inklings!"  
"What the heck?" Katelyn exclaimed, looking around.  
"I must commend y'all for getting this far!" Heather continued, "No thanks to that high and mighty Octoling traitor you have with you…"  
"…" Eliza simply glared at the speaker in the corner, as if her gaze would cause it to spontaneously fall off.  
"But you'll be going no further! From here on out, it's a test of skill and aptitude! Now…"

A hidden panel on the wall seemed to slide open, revealing a series of stairs leading downwards. A sign bolted just beyond read "Freight Elevator".  
"No more tricks or games!" Heather's voice finished. "We'll be meetin' ya in the freight elevator! We'll see if you ragtag inklings can keep it together! WHAHAHA!"

"What does she think she is, some kind of cartoon villain?" Cobalt remarked as the intercom cut out, staring at the stairs. "'No tricks'. Pfft, NOW I'm suspicious."  
"Not like that's ever stopped you, has it?" Chris asked, in a monotone fashion.  
"….you read me like an open book." Without a second thought, Cobalt immediately sprinted down the stairs, reaching the bottom in a matter of seconds.  
"NEVERMIND, that octarian's telling the truth!" Cobalt's voice echoed from below. "I can see the elevator just up ahead!"  
"Heh. Never change." Katelyn remarked with amusement, climbing down the stairs step by step carefully on her skates.

As Chris advanced wordlessly after Cobalt and Katelyn, Mei-Lin stopped briefly in her tracks to face Eliza, a thought having occurred to her.  
"Hey… um…" She mumbled, looking at the octoling's agitated expression with a face of worry. "Whatever that octarian said… are you…?"  
"It's alright. You know this isn't the first time I've been called out like this." Eliza simply replied. "Come, we must make haste. The end of the mission is at hand."  
"…okay."

Despite what Eliza said, as Mei-Lin watched the octoling run down the stairs, she cannot help but feel a gnawing sense of dread that had nothing to do with the pain in her abdomen.

" _...I don't like this. We're…getting into another unavoidable fight…_ " She thought to herself as she followed the team down the bowels of the earth step by step. " _Will…we be truly be alright?_ "

As she advanced down the steps, feeling the temperature rise around her, she felt frightened, realizing that she cannot think of a comforting answer.

* * *

 **AN: Welp, so much for keeping it regular. Perhaps I should stop placing deadlines on myself and write whenever I feel like it.  
** **I'll never be used to writing situations involving severe tension. Wonder how much of it would've come off as angst for the sake of angst? I certainly do not want it to seem senseless...**


	33. Tandava

**Tandava**

* * *

Scorching heat. Ruptured steam pouring from pipes. The sound of metal under heavy stress.  
" _If this isn't close to what inkling hell looks like, I don't know what is._ " Chris thought to himself, his footsteps echoing loudly around the vast room. He wasn't the only one feeling the pressure either, the entire group was wandering aimlessly, perturbed by what lay before them.

It was evident that once upon a time, the freight elevator room has seen its fair share of activity. Worn parts and scrap metal piled around the cylindrical chamber, along with industrial vehicles left to rust and fall apart dotted here and there. On the other side of the barely lit space, a gigantic shutter dominating a section of the wall seemed to shudder every so often, coinciding with a glare of orange light as it barely held back a powerful force from breaking through, the rumble echoing throughout the entire chamber like a discontent beast.  
A large elevator was situated at the very center of the chamber, wide enough to fit an entire airplane onto the platform and still have room for a couple of buses at least. Part of the elevator was already occupied by storage containers on two ends, some with their doors hanging open and revealing a collection of construction materials within. As the bursts of magma hammered onto the walls of the chamber, the platform seemed to shake ever so slightly too, coinciding with a burst of hot air that seemed to erupt from the gaps.

"Urgh… this is just like back we had to deal with Tetanus." Cobalt mumbled, beads of sweat running down the side of his mask. "What happened to the AC down here, anyway?!"  
"If there's one at all, I don't think it's working any more..." Katelyn groaned, already exhausted from the extreme heat. "I'm gonna boil at this rate!"

"It's understandable that the conditions within this room are extreme." Eliza remarked, seemingly the only one in the group unperturbed by the heat. "This geothermal plant extends down to the mantle of the Earth. It is a safe assumption that the high temperature is due to the latent heat leaking out of the center of the structure."  
"Wait, isn't that bad?! If we stay here for too long we'll be cooked alive!" Cobalt turned towards the octoling with a look of alarm. "What are we even standing around here for?!"  
"He's right…" Chris muttered, casting his gaze around the cluttered space, before noticing a gigantic fan attached to the ceiling that still seemed to be operational. "Hmm… looks like the ventilation system is on. We should be fine up here, but if we head downwards…"  
"…I'm not sure becoming baked squid is part of the to-do list." Cobalt finished worriedly. "I don't suppose there's something stashed in those crates over there?"

"That shouldn't be necessary. The bottom of the shaft is somehow shielded from the…heat?" Eliza replied, hesitating at the very last word. "Wait… is it?"  
"Hey… you sure about that?" Katelyn mumbled, watching Cobalt run off into the distance before he began to fiddle with the handle on one of the storage crates. "Have you been down here before?"  
"I… haven't… huh?" Eliza paused, her train of thought coming into a screeching halt. "Then why do I…?"

The octoling ran a hand down the elongated tentacle wrapped around her waist, seemingly contemplating something. A few seconds later, she shrugged.  
"…it doesn't matter. Chris, I'll need help locating the elevator controls, can I ask you to search around the freight elevator itself?" Eliza asked, turning towards the inkling in question. "I'll examine the balcony in the upper levels over there."

Suddenly, the screech of a rusty door abruptly flying open punctured the air, followed by a yelp of surprise being drowned out by a loud rustling noise. Facing the source of the commotion, Chris was mildly amused to see that Cobalt had opened the shipping container, only to have gotten himself buried from head to foot by an avalanche of packing pellets that had spilled out of the box. The only sight of the masked inkling within the pile was a pair of legs flailing desperately in the air.

"Looks like I'll be doing that anyway…" Chris quipped, barely holding back a chuckle.

* * *

"Hey, you alright there? …Is something bothering you?"

"Wh- Huh?"

Mei-Lin looked up abruptly, snapping out of her stupor. Katelyn was looking right at her, her face drooping into a frown. From the look in her eyes, it was clear that she had noticed how unusually silent she had been the entire time.  
"It's… it's nothing!" Mei-Lin sputtered, stumbling over her own words. "I just…"

"You're always this quiet when something's on your mind…" Katelyn glanced at the bandages wrapped around Mei-Lin's abdomen, a concerned expression forming. "That wound's not bothering you, is it?"  
"No, it's not that…" Almost reflexively, Mei-Lin's hand went to the auburn stain on the bandage. "This doesn't hurt anymore."  
"Then what was it?! Are you hiding something from me?" Katelyn shot back unexpectedly. "Tell me now… Please!"

Mei-Lin backed away a step or two, feeling a sudden spike of anxiousness. While she was somewhat grateful that Katelyn was concerned over her wellbeing, a part of her felt strangely frightened at her dearest friend for reasons she could not explain. Shocked at her own thoughts, she felt as if someone impaled a cold metal spike directly into her heart.

Her worries must've shown up outwards, as Katelyn immediately stopped mid-sentence, stepping away from Mei-Lin before letting out a sigh.  
"…I'm sorry."  
"Huh?" Mei-Lin was confused. "Why are you apologizing?"

Katelyn didn't answer. Instead, she looked elsewhere, noticing Chris in the distance desperately brushing away packing pellets away from Cobalt, seemingly to no avail as more cascaded out of the shipping container. The sight caused a weak chuckle to escape from her lips.

"Did I… do something wrong?" Mei-Lin mumbled quietly, too silent for her friend to hear.

As Katelyn turned to face her again, Mei-Lin couldn't help but notice that her friend was desperately trying to avoid eye contact.  
"…Hey." Katelyn finally spoke up. "Mei-Lin… what do you think of me?"  
"…what?"

This wasn't a question she had expected, given the circumstances.

"What are you talking about…?" Mei-Lin asked. "You're a great friend of mine… always had."  
"No, that's not I meant…" Katelyn shook her head. "I mean, do you think… I seem overprotective to you?"  
"Overprotective? That's…" Mei-Lin was surprised. "Where did this come from?"

Katelyn sighed, briefly glancing back at her teammates in the distance.  
"It's been on my mind lately." She mumbled. "Ever since I… lashed out at Eliza. Whenever I see you hurt just like back there, I… just can't seem to keep myself from getting mad."  
"But... isn't that normal?" Mei-Lin replied. "I'd be angry too if someone hurt you."  
"…not when I wanted to end her life right there, it wasn't." Katelyn looked down at her hands in guilt.

Mei-Lin's mouth fell in shock.  
"That's…!"

"Thinking back… a similar thing happened with Cobalt. It was… when I thought he was the reason you locked yourself away from the world. I…" Katelyn balled up her hands into fists. "…I attacked him. It was in public, in Cooler Heads. But it didn't matter to me, I wanted him to disappear. Had I not been stopped by Chris, Cobalt would've been dead… by my hands."

"I…" Mei-Lin was reeling from shock. "That… that happened…?"

"Mei-Lin… I'm scared." Tears were beginning to pool in Katelyn's eyes. "This desire to destroy others that want to harm you… I'm… I'm terrified of myself... What's h-happening to me?!"

As she watched Katelyn curl up on the spot, shivering, Mei-Lin felt a lump form in her throat. She had always known her friend became incensed easily, but this was most certainly out of left field. Her mouth opening and closing silently like a fool, she realized she cannot find the words to console her.

" _For me… she's willing to end the lives of others…?_ " Mei-Lin's thoughts were racing. " _That… that can't be true…!_ "  
"I-I…" Katelyn's voice was weaker than usual. "Mei-Lin… what should I do?"

"HEEEEY!" A voice suddenly exclaimed from the distance. "Katelyn! Mei-Lin! Over here! I found something!"

The terse mood seemed to abruptly dispel. Mei-Lin looked towards the source alongside Katelyn, and saw Cobalt waving towards them from the shipping container as Chris dragged something from the mound of packing pellets.  
Getting up, Katelyn wiped the tears away from her eyes. "Ah…hahaha. Looks like I fell apart a bit there."  
"Yeah…" Mei-Lin replied quietly. "C'mon, let's join the others."  
"A-alright then."

As Katelyn skated shakily over to the group, Mei-Lin went over their conversation in her head a few times, her face expressionless.  
" _Killing… for the sake of the happiness of others…_ "  
Her stomach churned.  
" _It's wrong… isn't it…?_ "

* * *

"So, what have you found?" Eliza asked, approaching the gathering team.

Brushing aside a handful of loose pellets, Chris examined the metallic pad that lay on the ground before them. Upon closer examination, it was a respawn pad, complete with a cable and plug.  
"This was in the shipping container. Nothing else in there, as far as I can tell." He replied. "Why would something like THIS be down here?"  
"A respawn pad? Huh…" Katelyn said, looking down at the glassy surface of the pad. "You got a point, Chris."

"Hey. Katelyn, you were yelling back there. What gives?" Cobalt asked. "Something happen?"  
"O-oh! I-it's nothing!" Katelyn stammered. "That's not important right now… reckon we can use this?"  
"Well, as long as we got a power source of some kind. But it's not like we got any Zapfish on hand this time…"

A moment of silence seemed to follow Cobalt's statement. The masked inkling looked around at his companions, puzzled.  
"Erm… did I say something weird?"

"Cobalt… you DO realize this is a power plant, right?" Chris groaned. "It'd be weird if there WASN'T a power source."  
"Oh. Right…" Cobalt examined the nearby surroundings, shortly after noticing a socket sticking out of the elevator. "It's weird though, now that you mention it. I thought this place should be busted thanks to that whole earthquake that happened down here..."  
"You're right… didn't Octavio say that the earthquake happened when they mined this far down?" Chris pondered. "Then surely it would've made sense if this place suffered the most wear and tear. But…"  
Cobalt slotted the plug into the socket, and watched as the respawn pad slowly activated. "Yeah, this place seems rather pretty for some earthquake-ridden junk heap. I mean, there's all that steam, and this thing IS turning on…"

"If anything, I think the places we went past to get here were even more worn down." Katelyn chimed in. "I mean, those vents I went through seemed pretty busted. The civilian district looked okay, but I think that's only because octarians were living there."  
"Not to mention that fortress. It's like… all broken down and partly sunken into the ground, and all." Cobalt added. "That place is jam-packed with octarians. If that's what they can manage even after all their renovations…"  
"It's as if… it wasn't so much an earthquake, but more like Sector 0 was deliberately sealed off from the rest of Octo Valley." Mei-Lin finished. "But… why?"

"Wait… deliberate?" Chris interjected. "But who would do such a-"

He fell silent. A chilling memory had abruptly interrupted his train of thought, mainly the appearance of that strange machine that had rampaged in the Grand Library before it was stopped. In particular, it was one sentence it had spoken before it went berserk.

" _ **YES…IT IS AS HE SAID. I AWAKEN TODAY, BEFORE ONE OF THE CHOSEN. HE TRULY…SEES…FATE.**_ "

"…'as HE said'?" Chris muttered to himself.  
"Eh…. Chris?" Cobalt asked. "What's wrong?"  
"Well… there was-"

But before Chris could start elaborating, the ground abruptly shook. The group look around in alarm as the entire elevator began to descend rapidly with everyone on it.  
"Hey… why are we moving?!" Chris exclaimed. "Eliza? Did you activate the elevator?"  
The octoling seemed just as surprised as the others. "I haven't. There were no controls up on that balcony!"  
"Wait, does that mean-"

The group exchanged looks of alarm, realizing what was coming next. Without another word, they quickly moved to the respawn pad to prepare for battle, the surface now an iridescent fiery orange.  
As Chris emerged from the pad, examining Cobalt and Katelyn which are dyed a shade of orange just like him, he turned to face Mei-Lin.

"Alright, you're next Mei-Lin." Chris said, beckoning her to follow. "There's no need to be scared, you've done this once already. C'mon."  
"R-right…" Mei-Lin stuttered. "Let me just-"

But just as Mei-Lin bent down towards the pad seemingly with the intent to switch to squid form, she suddenly stumbled and fell on all fours, clutching her side in agony.  
"M-Mei-Lin!" Katelyn exclaimed, attempting to help her up. "Are you alright?!"  
"It… it hurts…" Mei-Lin groaned, lifting up her hand to examine it. Auburn ink was dripping from her hands, trailing from the bandage she had on.

"This isn't good. That wound's stopping you from transforming. If you're stuck with that shade of color, we'd risk friendly fire." Eliza remarked tersely, helping Mei-Lin up from the floor. "…looks like I have no choice. Mei-Lin, take shelter behind the shipping containers. I'll take on your role of team sniper."  
"But… w-will you be…?" Mei-Lin gasped, still in pain.  
"I will be fine, Mei-Lin. Does this look like my first firefight?" Eliza reassured, hopping into the respawn pad. "Go. I sense hostiles fast approaching."

As the team watched Mei-Lin take cover behind the cotnainers, three metallic clangs made contact with the floor behind them one after another. Turning to face the source, they were met with the sight of the Under-Sea-Dogs all riding their vehicles, looking straight at them. Instinctively, the squad took up a stance, preparing themselves for the upcoming battle.

"One, two, three… hmm? One inkling's missing." Heather mumbled. "Well, it'll do."  
"We meet again, Chris. I see you've bought company." Clarence said, glancing at the assembled team before him. "I'm sure you recall my parting words. Are you prepared for battle?"  
"…" Morgan was quiet, compared to his companions. Katelyn could've sworn he was looking at her briefly, but ultimately decided it was her imagination.

"So, you three are the Under-Sea-Dogs." Eliza said, emerging out of the respawn pad with her tentacles now dyed orange as well. "State your purpose for hindering us."  
"Hmph, the traitor speaks." Heather snorted. "That's our question!"  
"…!" Eliza didn't retort, but she seemed oddly shaken by the remark.

"Please, we're just here to visit the cross that's located at the bottom of this power plant!" Katelyn interjected. "We don't want to fight you!"  
"Unfortunately, that feeling isn't mutual." Clarence replied. "We have our reasons to stop you."  
"…one of our own was taken." Morgan finally spoke. "…you know, don't you Katelyn? You must have overheard my conversation with Granny."  
"Katelyn…?" Chris asked, looking at her. "What are they talking about?"

Katelyn briefly hesitated, before speaking up. "…There was this octosniper, goes by the name of Anna. Some time ago, she… disappeared from her home, and never came back. I don't know the details exactly, but the way that Granny and Morgan were talking about her, I think she's…"  
"Hold up, did you say 'Anna'?" Cobalt said. "I heard those three bring that name up. Was she one of the Under-Sea-Dogs?"  
"Probably. These skates here... they were originally hers. Granny wanted me to have them…"

"It was as that inkling said." Heather confirmed. "She was the most cheerful and naïve one out of all of us. Never meant any harm. But… one day, during a routine sweep…"  
"We were called upon to investigate possible intruders, and Anna went to observe." Clarence continued, "But then, we lost contact. We followed suit… only to find a deserted battleground stained with unfamiliar ink…"  
"…and her prized necklace." Morgan finished. "She never takes it off. Finding it with her abandoned equipment… that can only mean one thing."

A stunned silence lingered in the air, punctuated by the steady whirring of the elevator and the distant rumbling of magma impacting the walls.  
"Oh." Cobalt averted his eyes. "That… explains a lot."

"So that's why the three of you are hindering us? Over a mere grudge?" Eliza interrupted. "What petty reasoning."  
"Eliza!" Katelyn exclaimed, alarmed.  
"We have another purpose to be here." The octoling continued, ignoring her. "Once we are finished here, we are rescuing every last octarian from Sector 0. But, if you insist in getting in our way, we will not hesitate to fight."

"Quiet! What would an octoling like you know about our suffering, huh?!" Heather yelled, rattling her hovercraft. "These people here, they don't give a damn about the so-called cannon fodder like us! We went and reported the loss of one of our own, and you know what the higher-ups said?!"  
"…they didn't even bat an eye!" Morgan shouted. "'It was just one octosniper, so what?' That's all they said before they tossed us aside like it never happened!"  
"But, if we capture you all, those selfish higher-ups will finally acknowledge us." Clarence spoke. "We will not splat any of you permanently… but do not expect to come out of this unscathed."

"T-that's… that's terrible!" Katelyn was shocked as she watched the Under-Sea-Dogs rev up their machines. "Why?!"  
"It's not good, Katelyn. Looks like we're not talking our way out of this fight." Cobalt said, readying his weapons. "We'll just have to knock some sense into these idiots!"  
"I was hoping we could avoid fighting anyone… Urgh, fine!" Katelyn reluctantly accepted, preparing her Inkbrush.

"Do think about this, won't you?" Chris attempted to reason with their opponents. "It's four of us here against three of you, and we're much more experienced in combat together thanks to our bouts in Turf Wars. Don't do anything you'll regret later!"

"Oh, you think you got us backed into a corner, huh?" Heather sneered. "I don't think you four get it at all… We've got you where we wanted you!"  
"You think you're the only ones reliant on teamwork? So are we!" Clarence continued. "Allow us to show you our combined strength!"

It was then Eliza realized that while they were talking, a pool of fuchsia ink was slowly forming underneath the Under-Sea-Dogs. Noticing this, she readied her Splatterscope, bracing herself.  
"Watch out!" She exclaimed. "They're going to-"

But before Eliza could finish her sentence, the Under-Sea-Dogs dove into the ink all at once. Not even a second later, the pool rippled and bubbled furiously, before a large splash of fuchsia cascaded everywhere as a towering figure emerged from its depths. A loud crash echoed all around the elevator as the figure made contact with the metallic floor, the sound reverberating throughout the entire shaft.

Cobalt looked at the being before them, a look of utter disbelief on his face. It was an expression currently reflected in all his teammates.

"Oh… this isn't good." He gulped.

* * *

It is all going horribly wrong.

Mei-Lin watched with terror at her teammates, fighting for their dear lives. At the very center of the platform, an imposing being dominated the scene, casting a shadow over the combatants as it rampaged.

Somehow, the Under-Sea-Dogs had fused their machines together. A monstrous being with six muscly reddish arms towered over the supply crates, perpetually swinging blades coated in fuchsia around in four hands composed of talons, and holding high a harpoon with two metallic gauntlets. Atop the mechanical figure, a head with three faces spun around constantly, surveying every angle of the battlefield.

For all intents and purposes, it was a machine designed for one thing: efficient, painful destruction.

From her hiding place, Mei-Lin watched as her friends slowly fought a losing battle. Almost like a choreographed dance, the mechanical being blocked ink coming from several angles with its armor or by swatting the shots out of the air with its blades, before responding with a series of swings and thrusts that were seemingly everywhere at once.

" _Everyone's… fighting so hard._ " Mei-Lin thought to herself. " _If only… I could help…_ "

She glanced at the Charger in her slackened hands, briefly debating whether she should attempt to get in a few shots from her position. Lifting her right arm gently, she felt an aching sensation swell from her wound, as if it were forcing her to back down. Briefly remembering Eliza mentioning friendly fire, she realized that coating the ground with her own ink will end up hindering her friends in the process.

There was nothing she could do.

Feeling a creeping sense of defeat, Mei-Lin's hands slackened completely. The Charger in her hands clattered onto the ground, as she collapsed onto the ground in despair.

" _No…no good. I'm no good at all. Why…. Why am I even here…?_ "

* * *

"Urgh… this guy's tough!" Cobalt groaned. "Nothing's working!"  
"If only we can get those blades out of the way…" Chris said, trying to get a shot through. "How are they doing this? These octarians have some serious team coordination to be able to deflect everything so well!"  
"C'mon, isn't going for the exposed weak spots obvious enough? We'll need to go for the arms!" Cobalt shouted, barely dodging out of the way of a swipe. "I got this!"  
"Huh?! Cobalt, wait-"

But before Chris could stop him, Cobalt rushed straight towards the mechanical monstrosity, coating the ground in orange along the way in order to charge his special. With a determined grunt, Cobalt leapt straight towards the whirling blades, transforming into Kraken form midair.  
It seemingly had an effect. The blades that were rushing in bounced off of the Kraken's tough hide, thanks to the ink running off of the sharp edges. With a roar, Cobalt struck one of the arms with his body, causing it to explode in a shower of orange.

"Gotcha!" Cobalt exclaimed triumphantly as he landed, fistpumping as the destroyed arm's remains clattering next to him. "One down, five more to-"

Unexpectedly, a geyser of fuchsia shot out from the machine, making contact with the severed mechanical hand on the floor. With a hiss, it dragged the hand back towards the machine with the blade still within its grasp, before the entire arm reformed and regenerated, all within the span of seconds.

"…go." Cobalt finished flatly. "Oh come ON, that's cheating!"

* * *

It was chaos. Sounds of gunfire and grinding metal dominating the air. The steady rising in temperature as the team sunk lower and lower into the very bowels of the earth.

Mei-Lin could feel her own pulse steadily rising as well, as she huddled within the confines of the metal box. The few times she dared to catch a glimpse of the battle unfolding just beyond, what she saw were scenes that may very well haunt her forever.

The Under-Sea-Dogs were relentless. Emboldened by their advantage, they have intensified their attacks, and now some of Mei-Lin's teammates are starting to falter. Cobalt was the first to fall, too late to sidestep a blade bisecting him. His body exploded instantly, showering the battlefield in fuchsia.

Thanks to the respawn pad however, they constantly rejoined the battle the moment they fell. The pad showed no signs of powering down, most likely due to the machine being hooked up to the power plant.  
But the Under-Sea-Dogs appeared to have realized this, and while they cannot destroy the pad thanks to the shield, they settled with the next best thing: Rendering the team incapable of fighting any further. Soon, they began to experiment, and some of their attacks started to fall short from outright splatting them.

It was wearing heavily on the entire team, and Mei-Lin can tell, even from afar. While their bodies can be fully restored by the respawn pad, nothing can be done about the mental exhaustion. Soon, her companions are showing signs of slowing down.

Sticking her head out once again, Mei-Lin was horrified to see that the Under-Sea-Dogs had Katelyn backed to a wall. The towering being cast an eerie shadow over the inkling, enshrouding her in darkness.

"Are you ready to give up?!" Heather's voice cried out from the mechanical monstrosity as it advanced towards a cornered and exhausted Katelyn. "This is our secret weapon, the fruit of our teamwork: the Octoasura! Impressed?"  
"This had a railgun attachment, once upon a time." Morgan's voice added. "Anna was supposed to control it, but now…"  
"We'll just have to settle with more… unconventional means." Clarence finished. "If you wish to surrender, I would advise doing so sooner rather than later."

Katelyn brandished her inkbrush, despite her arms trembling uncontrollably. "L-like… hell…!"

"Then you leave us no choice."

Mei-Lin quickly hid behind the container as the Octoasura lifted one of its blades overhead, the fuchsia ink on its edges swiftly drying up until a few droplets remain. The next thing she knew, Katelyn's cry of agony pierced her eardrums, and a splatter of orange painted the chunk of floor visible to her.

Covering her ears, she could feel herself shivering uncontrollably, her thoughts descending into chaos.  
" _No… no…!_ _Why is this happening?!_ "

* * *

"KATELYN!" Chris yelled, narrowly dodging a swipe.

"I-I'm… okay…" Katelyn groaned.

"You can't fight in that state! Don't push yourself!"

As Chris stated, one of Katelyn's arms hung uselessly to her side, rendering her Inkbrush ineffective. A particularly nasty gash ran from her right shoulder down to just below her left, the gaping wound sizzling with fuchsia ink.

"Now's not the time to be playing tough!" Cobalt yelled as he fired desperately at his target. "We gotta get outta here!"  
"H-How?! We're stuck miles underground in some deserted hole! If help's coming… it'd be too late!" Katelyn tiredly held her Inkbrush with her left hand instead, desperately trying to take up a stance. "We got a respawn pad! We'll just have to throw ourselves at this thing until it stops!"  
"Yeah, that'd probably work in turfing, but isn't this far from-"

That was before Cobalt was impaled through his body by the harpoon, splatting him instantly. His ghost sailed straight towards the respawn pad, seemingly shocked by the surprise attack.

"A little less ink, Clarence!" Heather's voice yelled, "That KO-ed him!"

* * *

" _I hear nothing. I see nothing. I hear nothing. I see nothing. I hear nothing. Nothing… Nothing… Nothing…_ "

Mei-Lin slowly curled up more and more, her hands to her ears, and her eyes scrunched up tightly. Yet, she couldn't completely block out the sounds of her teammates crying out in pain, her mind conjuring up the worst possible images in response like a slideshow put together by a psychopath.

 _Torsos rent with deep wounds. Arms and legs torn off violently and twitching on the floor. An entire body sliced in half lengthwise, their faces slackening from fading shock…_

" _I….I-I see…n-noth…th…!_ "

 _An unfamiliar image shot through her mind, rippling like a disturbed surface of water. Underdeveloped, slimy hands grasped tightly around the bars of a cage. Beyond, a shadowy figure, jeered incoherently at her as the musty smell of smoke and dried straw filled her lungs._

Mei-Lin's eyes flashed open.

"W-what …?!" She whimpered, all thought of staying quiet abandoning her. "No… No…"

 _The hands changed and took on a solid form, changing color from a shade of auburn to the color of flesh. An indescribable feeling as the bars passed through her body. The shadowy figure, alerted by the sound, turned towards her. The eyes barely visible in the darkness glared with nothing but utter contempt._

"I…p-please… please…"

 _More words, interlaced with hatred, yet sane. The figure disappeared behind a counter, only to return. Within their hands, a cruel serrated knife, and a rusted bucket filled to overflowing with viscous black liquid._

"N-no… I d-don't… remember… This… no, no…"

 _A struggle. The blade was in her hands. Both the weapon and her body have been stained heavily by black splotches. The figure's face was blurry and distorted, a film of tears obstructing her vision. The angered, dilated eyes glaring back gleamed emerald, a familiar color._

 _A new voice. It was her own. Emotion tore through her. Desperation. Anger. Sadness._

" _I'm… sorry… MOTHER!"_

 _Her hands, knife held within, raised high above her head…_

Pain erupted through Mei-Lin's skull, as swiftly as wildfire.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

Chris turned towards the source of the scream, alarmed.  
"Mei-Lin!"

"Huh, I was wondering where the last one went." Clarence said. Right about the same time, the Octoasura stopped short of slicing Chris's abdomen wide open, withdrawing its blade as it slowly made its way towards the shipping containers...

"I-I won't let you!" Katelyn exclaimed, jumping between them and raising her Inkbrush weakly.

But it may as well be a partially squashed cockroach trying to stop a flash flood. One swing of a blade later, Katelyn was sent flying towards the closest wall, her body crumpling from the impact.  
"D-dammit…"

With a flurry of slashes, the shipping container housing Mei-Lin was torn open. She was still screaming, seemingly oblivious to the events happening around her.

"This… this was just like back when we fought Tetanus! W-Why?!" Chris exclaimed. "We can't have hit her by accident… have we?!"

"Think later! We need to stop them!" Cobalt yelled. "Distract that thing!"

Prepping a Splat Bomb, Chris prepared to slide one towards the Octoasura's legs. But then, he realized that it was standing right next to her. He faltered, realizing that Mei-Lin could very likely be caught in the blast radius had he thrown the explosive.

His upraised hand trembling, Chris reluctantly lowered the bomb, a look of defeat on his face.  
"I… I can't… Dammit!"

"Giving up so quickly? I expected more from those that can last this long against an Octoweapon of this caliber!"

"What the… What are you doing!?"

* * *

" _Pain… it hurts… it hurts!_ "

She was lost. A maelstrom of images and sounds churned and swirled endlessly around her.

Reality seemed meaningless now.

Her own voice echoed through her ears. So loud… so unbearable.

" _I'm useless… I'm useless…_ "

"Mei-Lin… Mei-Lin…"

Faint voices lingered from beyond. They were faint. Incoherent.

But does it matter?

" _No one can help me…. No one… no one…_ "

" _Alone… alone…_ "

" _Someone… help… me…_ "

* * *

"SNAP OUT OF IT, MEI-LIN! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"  
"W-what are you doing?! STOP!"

Eliza was on her knees, her Splatterscope dropped in front of Mei-Lin. The Octoasura was before her, two of its blades embedded in her outstretched hands. As the edges dug deeper, a steady stream of orange gushed from the cuts, and her arms trembled as they held back the weight of the blades.

"I… I don't understand!" Heather's voice cried out from the machine. "Why are you stopping us?!"  
"To go this far for an inkling." Clarence spoke. "That's unusual… even for an octoling."

"Like… you would understand." Eliza's voice was quivering with barely suppressed pain, her face contorted with agony as she forced the blade back. "Have you ever had no choice but to watch… as someone close to you were thrust in harm's way? Knowing that… it was your fault that they were hurt…"

The octoling slowly faced Mei-Lin. She was no longer screaming, but she was huddled on the floor, clutching her head.

"It's strange… Until now, I never would've thrown my life on the line like this for someone like you." Eliza continued. "All that mattered was the mission. My fellow soldiers were just that: soldiers. They did not matter to me, as with anyone that spoke with me."  
"But… you were a civilian… not even capable of self-defense. And yet… you flung yourself in front of me, as I was going to be hurt by those ruffians back then." Eliza shook her head. "I could not believe it. Are you truly a weakling, as you claim?"

"Was… was that what happened…?" Katelyn groaned, getting up slowly. "Mei-Lin…"

"You say that you cannot do anything, that you are useless. But despite everything… you still mustered the strength to stand up, again and again." Eliza raised her voice, incensed. "There's no doubt about it… a spark flickers deep within you, one that will never be extinguished!"

Briefly, Mei-Lin stirred in response. It would seem her episode was starting to fade away.

"It's about time… you graduated from being a mere civilian…" Eliza's legs buckled, her strength slowly fading. "Stand up straight… soldier…! Show me… my faith… is not... mis…placed…"

With that, the octoling collapsed, unconscious. The Octoasura merely stood there, its pilots stunned.

"That… octoling." Morgan's voice carried a hint of shock. "The way she spoke… It can't be… that's impossible…!"  
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Heather replied.

Before they could properly digest what just happened however, they noticed movement coming from Mei-Lin, and snapped to attention. Wordlessly, the inkling slowly got up on her feet, her fingers coiling around the handle of the Splatterscope Eliza dropped. Standing alert, the Octoasura brandished its blades, ready for anything.

"Mei-Lin!" Katelyn yelled. But before she could react, Chris walked up to her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  
"It's alright…" he said, looking at the unfamiliar expression on Mei-Lin's face. "It looks like we can sit this one out."

* * *

"A….spark…? What…?"

Mei-Lin muttered to herself, as the torrent of sounds and memories lingered around her.

It was a brief moment of lucidity, as disorienting as a drowning man breaking a surface of water for a breath of fresh air. For a few precious seconds, the outside world reached her, as did everyone's voices.

Yet, it was enough. Pieces of her thoughts slowly came together like driftwood, and coherent sentences slowly formed in her mind. The miasma clouding her mind was fading, bit by bit.

"Don't be stupid... No one can help you… That's just how it is, isn't it?"

She could hear it. Her own voice was whispering to her, from the very edges of the miasma.

"This isn't the first time… my dear, sweet self…" 'Mei-Lin' crooned. "It always happens again…and again… this pain is within you…. Forever."

"Pain… again…?" Mei-Lin echoed.

"Yes… there is nothing you can do." 'She' replied, "No matter how hard you try… no matter what people tell you… eventually you will always be back there again…. In that cage… wishing for oblivion."

Sensing a presence, Mei-Lin looked up. From atop the Octoasura, her warped double was staring back, looking down on her with pitying eyes.

"Why even hold back? Why even stand aside?" 'Mei-Lin' whispered. "Deep down, you know the truth. You know you are more than capable of fighting. After all… you ended the life of one you so dearly loved… and hated…"

'Mei-Lin' smiled. It was a strange smile, both heartbroken, yet distorted with hints of ecstasy and madness.

"Let your instincts run wild… destroy the monster before you…" 'She' laughed softly. "They hurt you. Surely it would be fair… to return the favor…"

The idea shot through her mind. It seemed so simple, so clear. Fight the Under-Sea-Dogs. Eliminate all traces of their existence. That way, they can no longer harm her anymore.

And yet…

"I…I will. But… I will not simply fight… for that reason alone…"

"Hmm…?" 'Mei-Lin' cocked her head sideways, interested.

"You said it yourself… This pain… will always come back. It will never truly leave me." Mei-Lin spoke, her voice barely audible. "But does that mean… I have to give up?"

Her hands tightened around the grip of the Splatterscope. The weight of the Charger seemed oddly light, as if it no longer burdened her.

"I… I know now. You're right… I'm scared… scared that my friends will turn on me. Scared that they will defile me… as you said. But… they've stood by me for so long… willing to support and protect me, even now, risking their lives like this…"

She closed her eyes gently. Within her chest, she could feel her heart pulsing gently, her wound throbbing in time with each pulse.

Even now, it hurt. But, it no longer mattered.

"For their sake… I… I'm not just going to sit back and watch. I won't be the useless girl anymore…"

Her eyes flew wide open.

"I…. I will live… for their sakes…!" Mei-Lin faced upwards, staring straight into the eyes of her other self. "I… I WILL FIGHT!"

Her double stared, seemingly surprised by her words. Slowly, 'her' expression changed, looking down at her with a look of…. acceptance?

"It's about time..." 'Mei-Lin' crooned. "Show it to me… the you that shall no longer let the past tie you down… the you willing to give in to chaos… **Show me in all your shining grandeur!** "

With a hiss, Mei-Lin's doppelgänger dissolved in a rush of black smoke. At the same time, she felt her pulse quicken, a rush of adrenaline coursing through her entire body, followed by a surge of power.  
A familiar sensation came over her. It seemed like such a long time ago… when she met Chris for the first time in that battlefield.

It would seem that, somehow, someway, her Special was fully charged.

"W-what the?!" A voice issued from the Octoasura. "Why's she bubbling like that?"  
"Her Special's charged, you idiots! Quick, knock her out!"

As the Octoasura advanced on her, brandishing its blades, Mei-Lin felt strangely calm. It seemed so strange… There was one other time she felt this level of tranquility, and that was when she used to sketch in Porpoise Park, Katelyn irritating her like the loudmouth she was.  
"…heehee." Despite the situation, Mei-Lin couldn't help but crack a soft smile at the memory.  
The images lingering around her vision dissipated entirely. Before her, she could clearly see the Under-Sea-Dog's octoweapon, filling her vision.

"I guess…" Mei-Lin sighed serenely, as she took aim at the mechanical monstrosity, "…I guess having friends that never leave me alone isn't so bad after all."

She pulled the trigger, tripping her Special at the same time. Unexpectedly, the jet of ink that shot out of the barrel seemed to intensify, erupting into a torrent that issued endlessly like a giant fire hose. Caught by surprise, the Octoasura was barely able to lift its weapons in defense before it blocked the burst, as it was slowly pushed back by the kinetic force alone.  
But the torrent of ink seemed to intensify even further over time. Soon, the octoweapon was forced into the air, before it was pinned to the sides of the tunnel. The sounds of screeching metal and struggling filled the air as it attempted to escape the slipstream, to no avail. One by one, its arms burst as the ink cascaded over its limbs, the metal hands and weapons clattering to the ground below it.

Eventually, the jet of ink seemed to just abruptly stop. No longer forced onto the rocky walls, the Octoasura fell a considerable distance, before it crumbled onto the ground, still twitching.  
Her special no longer active, Mei-Lin's arms fell to her side, as exhaustion overtook her.

"Did I… do… it…?" She breathed, as she collapsed onto the ground.

* * *

"What. The. Heck." Cobalt rubbed the glass on his mask, making sure he wasn't imagining things.  
"I've… never seen a Splatterscope do THAT before." Chris said, just as bewildered. "I guess Eliza must've made a few modifications."

"MEI-LIN!"

Still limping from her injuries, Katelyn ran up towards the splayed form on the ground. To her relief, Mei-Lin was still alive, if barely able to move.  
"Katelyn…?" Mei-Lin groaned, clutching her head. "I… Oh gods…"  
"Hey! A-are you alright?!"

"N…no…" Mei-Lin's gaze slowly drifted towards the wreckage in the far distance. "Oh no… What…what have I done…?"

Katelyn's mouth opened, but any words of comfort were stuck in her throat as she saw the haunted expression on Mei-Lin's face. Her eyes were affixed on the carnage she had created, as if it had seen far too much. It was clear that her friend was tormented by demons that she could only imagine.

"Is there really anything else to say?" Chris approached the fallen inkling on the ground, giving her a reassuring look. "You saved us."

"I…I have…?" Mei-Lin replied, uncertain.

"You've definitely changed. That was far from when we first met during that Splatfest match." Chris reassured. "You've grown strong."

Katelyn and Chris exchanged nods, before helping Mei-Lin to her feet together. Her expression was still distraught, but by the way her shoulders seemed more relaxed, and how she was standing just a little straighter than before, it would seem a considerable weight has been lifted from her.

"I… Oh…right." Mei-Lin averted her eyes briefly, realizing that her friends had witnessed everything that happened when she wasn't herself. "You all… saw that… didn't you?"  
"Oh, that?" Katelyn replied, "I mean… I still don't know what that was all about… but you pulled through, didn't you? I'm proud of you, Mei-Lin!"  
Chris shook his head. "It's okay, there's no need to explain to us just yet. No matter what happens, we'll be here for you."  
"Chris… Katelyn…" Mei-Lin shed a tear, wiping it away quickly. "Thank you… both of you…!"

"Hey, um… I hate to be the one to interrupt the mood and all… But we're not done yet!" Cobalt suddenly interrupted, pointing at the downed octoweapon. Sure enough, despite the battering it had received, the machine was somehow still able to move, and is in the process of trying to get itself back up.  
"Heather!" Clarence's voice issued from the octoweapon. "How are we doing?! What's the situation?"  
"Looks like the concrete did the job, but the gyroscope's shot! Gimme a moment, I'll try and recalibrate this!" Heather's voice replied, followed by the sounds of metal clanging as the octotrooper went and repaired the machine from the inside.

"Are you- HOW MUCH PUNISHMENT CAN ONE ROBOT RECEIVE?!" Katelyn spluttered, exasperated.  
"….Concrete?" Chris repeated, catching the word. "What was she talking about?"

As the team watched as jets of fuchsia shot out from the machine, reconnecting with the hands on the ground, Cobalt's eyes shot up as he remembered something. "Concrete… wait, that's it!"  
"Cobalt? You got an idea?" Katelyn asked, facing the masked inkling.  
"I'll spare everyone the details. I need time to charge the Killer Wail on this thing." Cobalt twirled the Sploosh-O-Matic in his left hand, as he watched the Octasura regenerate. "If I can hit that clunker with it head-on, it oughta have an effect!"  
"Head-on… wait, that robot's able to face us at any angle, those octarians will know something's up if Cobalt yanks out a giant megaphone. How are we going to do that?"

"Wait…" Mei-Lin interjected, watching the octoweapon slowly get up on its feet. "I've been watching how it moves… and I don't think it can look directly upwards . If we can get above it somehow…"  
"…we can blind it!" Chris concluded, his face lighting up as a plan took shape in his mind. "So, who's volunteering to paint over the eyes on that thing? If it can't see where we're coming from, I should be able to take out those arms without being forced back. We should be able to buy enough time for Cobalt to charge his special if we do that."  
"I'll go!" Katelyn replied, glancing briefly down at her skates. "You can leave that part to me!"  
"Alright then. Mei-Lin, Eliza will need to be taken care of, so take her round behind those shipping containers for shelter. After that-"

"I'll fight too." Mei-Lin interrupted.  
"…what?" Chris seemed slightly taken aback.  
"I'll fight too!" Mei-Lin repeated, somewhat forcefully. "I… I want to help out the team however I can. I'm through with being the one forced to stay within the sidelines!"

"Okay… Glad you can join us." Chris said, smiling approvingly. "Though…. You're stuck with that color for the time being. You'll need to keep a safe distance from us, just in case."  
"Y-yes, I will." Mei-Lin replied nervously. "If I can, I'll try and destroy those arms from a distance. Just… Be careful, alright?"  
"I will. Let's do this!"

As the team scrambled to their various roles, the Octoasura finally rose from the ground. Its metallic armor was cracked in several places, but otherwise it seemed to still be fully functional.  
"That was a neat trick, that one!" Heather's voice cried out. "But that isn't going to work a second time!"  
"Heather, they're up to something." Clarence said, as the octoweapon's head swiveled around. "Morgan… Morgan! Hey! Stay focused!"  
"H-huh? …Right! The one in the mask's up to something! Take him out first!"

Brandishing its blades, the Octoasura immediately advanced towards Cobalt. Seeing the monstrosity approach, the masked inkling ducked into the ink he scattered, barely avoiding the myriad of steel coming his way.  
Noticing that his teammate's in trouble, Chris deployed a Splat Bomb and slid it directly below the encroaching octoweapon, the explosive detonating quickly and causing it to flinch. Taking the opportunity, Cobalt went on the offensive, directing his gunfire towards two of the arms closest to him, destroying them.

Taking the opportunity while the Octoasura was occupied, Katelyn ducked away from the confrontation as far as she could, before eyeing the rising elevator shaft behind her. With a determined huff, she activated her skates, diving towards the stone wall before she made her way up, circling around slowly as she made her way above the octoweapon.  
This action didn't go noticed, however. As its arms began to regenerate, the Octoasura's head swiveled around towards the inkling, eyeing her as she slowly went upward.

"What the- What's she doing?!" Morgan cried out. "Isn't that the one with Anna's…"  
"She… oh crap! They know about the blind spot!" Heather yelled. "Team, defensive stance!"

The Octoasura responded immediately, lifting its weapons up high and crisscrossing them above its head, the edges facing upwards.  
"I don't think so…!" Mei-Lin muttered, taking aim at the arms that had been exposed by the shift in stance. With a deep breath, she let loose four shots one by one, the jets of auburn impacting their intended targets, taking them out instantly. No longer supported by the arms, the weapons clattered to the ground, leaving the octoweapon's head exposed.

"Here goes!" Seizing the opening, Katelyn leapt from the wall, brandishing her Inkbrush. Landing atop the Octoasura's head, she swung wildly at the mechanical monstrosity's eyes, covering its entire head in orange ink.  
"We lost visual!" Clarence shouted.  
"Dammit, what are they up to?!" Heather yelled, "I can't see where they're coming from!"  
"Shake her off! SHAKE HER OFF!"

As the Octoasura flailed wildly, it spun around and around at random, trying to dislodge the inkling on top of it. Noticing that its arms are still trying to regenerate, Katelyn quickly flung a few splashes at the severed nubs as she tried to hang on, delaying it.  
"Cobalt!" Katelyn yelled, as she was finally flung off the shaking machine. As the Octoasura turned around at the source of the voice, it unintentionally faced the masked inkling, his tentacles shimmering and bubbling.

"SEE YA!"

The Killer Wail materialized as Cobalt tripped his Special, the device screeching before it let loose a sonic wail that seemed to echo throughout the entire elevator shaft. The burst of noise punched straight through the Octoasura's armor, causing its internal systems to overload. Seemingly in an automated response, the armor plating flew open, exposing a smoking reactor core in its chest.  
"AGH! Systems are overheating!" Heather cried, "Crap, I haven't had the time to fix that problem yet!"

"This is it! Toldya it would work!" Cobalt shouted, fist-pumping triumphantly as he watched the Octoasura struggle on its last legs. "So! Who's going to do the honors?!"

Chris and Katelyn seemed to have the same idea. Nodding towards one another, they turned together to face Mei-Lin.  
"You know what to do." Chris said encouragingly. "Let's end this."

Mei-Lin simply nodded in response, and directed her sights at the Octoasura's core, a look of determination on her face.  
"….Goodbye." She whispered gently.

She squeezed the trigger, a jet of auburn flying through the air in response. As it directly hit the reactor core, it began to shimmer with an iridescent light as it started to spasm and fizzle out of control.  
"It's gonna blow!" Heather yelled desperately. "EJECT! EJEEEECT!"

The Octoasura's head popped off in response, and it began to ascend as a set of jet boosters activated beneath it. Before it had sufficient time to distance itself however, the octoweapon finally exploded in a shower of orange and auburn ink, causing it to spiral out of control as it sailed upwards into the darkness.  
"WE'LL BE BAAAAAAaaaaaaacccck…!"

The team watched as the escape pod flew ever higher, trailing smoke as it did so. As it finally disappeared from their view, they glanced at one another, relaxing now that the battle has ended.  
"It's… It's over." Mei-Lin sighed, "Is everyone alright?"  
"That got a little hairy." Cobalt admitted. "Man! That was a lot harder than it needed to be… I was kinda worried the Killer Wail wouldn't work."  
"How did you even know that the Killer Wail would expose its core, anyway?" Katelyn asked, "Come to think of it, why didn't you do that a lot sooner?!"  
"Cut me some slack, okay?! I overheard that Heather chick mentioning something of the sort earlier, but I couldn't have had time to remember that when tall, dark and rusty was chopping us into calamari!"

"If they have the energy to bicker like that, I guess we are." Chris said. "Looks like we don't have to worry."  
"Is that so…?" Mei-Lin replied, "Thank… good… ness…"

Suddenly, Mei-Lin stumbled. The others instinctively turned to catch her, but to their relief she managed to stay on her feet, composing herself as she shook her head.  
"I'm… I'm okay." She breathed. "It's just… now that it's all over, I'm feeling tired…"

"The adrenaline from that battle must be wearing off." A voice replied. "That was a remarkable display, inklings."

The team turned to face the source of the voice. Eliza was walking towards them, covered in blade wounds and clutching one of her shoulders in pain, but otherwise she seemed to be hanging in there.  
"Eliza!" Katelyn exclaimed. She seemed as shocked as everyone else by the octoling's state of injury.  
"Don't worry about me, this will all heal up eventually." Eliza responded, letting go of her shoulder. "More importantly, I believe with the Under-Sea-Dogs no longer obstructing us, our path is open. It is time for us to advance."

As if on cue, the freight elevator finally reached its destination. Before them, a metallic shutter slowly slid into view as the platform came to a halt. A whirr echoed throughout the entire shaft as a motor activated, and the shutter slid open inch by inch, revealing a hellish landscape of flame and magma just beyond. The inklings stared agape at the sight before them, entranced.

"We're here." Eliza said, facing the team. "Let's go."

* * *

 **AN: A lot's happened since my absence, hasn't it? Splatoon 2's out, for starters. God knows that'd throw a few wrenches in uncomfortable places in people's headcanons.  
** **This has to be one of the most difficult chapters I ever worked on. What with so much happening at once, I worry that I might've slipped up on a few things here and there, not to mention how much there was to write. But, I must thank the recently established Discord channel full of Splatoon writers for giving me the motivation to keep writing. You guys and girls rock!  
** **While I still cannot guarantee I can keep churning out these chapters frequently enough, I am confident that I won't be stopping anytime soon. Reviews are welcome as always, hearing what others think of my works keeps me going.**


	34. Evolution

**Evolution**

* * *

Cobalt stared intently at the river of magma before him. A few feet above the flow of molten rock, an outcropping of heavily eroded stone crumbled before his very eyes, the fragments plummeting into the magma flow. Slowly glowing red, the rocks sank into the fiery river, crumbling as it did so.  
There's no doubt about it, the area they are standing in is extremely hot. In fact, under normal circumstances, the inkling was sure that the moment they stepped into this cavern, they would've been baked alive, and their remains would've been incinerated immediately by the superheated air surrounding them.

Yes, under normal circumstances. But…

"Hey, Cobalt! What's the holdup?"  
The masked inkling turned at the source of the voice. Katelyn was looking at him, while the others were a little further ahead, curious at his inactivity.  
"Oh, it's nothing!" He replied hurriedly, catching up. "But you know… we're standing right next to all of this lava, and we're still not baked calamari yet? What's up with that?"

"Hey, now that you mention it… you're right!" Katelyn took the time to survey the winding cavern as they walked, the entire area lit up by the flames licking from the magma that was coursing around them. But by some mysterious force, the fire seemed to stop short from consuming the pathway they are treading down, just abruptly fading out the instant they came uncomfortably close to the travelling group.

"It must be just like back in Backwater Barricade." Chris mused, "You all remember, right? Close to where we found the cross…"  
"Those huts… preserved perfectly even after two thousand years." Mei-Lin recalled. "The climate too… it was like being outdoors."  
"So what you're saying is, the cross down here is screwing up logic, just like back down there?" Cobalt concluded. "I mean, I still don't know much about how those cross things work, but at least we're still breathing!"

"Still, it does make you wonder…" Chris thought aloud, as he watched Cobalt march ahead confidently. "Why are these things even here? Why do they even exist in the first place?"  
Mei-Lin perked up briefly at the questions. "The ancient Splatfest legend…"  
"That story involving the Guiding Light and the crosses left throughout the land?" Chris tapped his chin thoughtfully, as he ran the info through his head. "Hmm… it might be a myth, but I think we've all already encountered some things that defy conventional logic already. It's hard to write it off as all just a simple story…"  
Mei-Lin didn't reply, but simply glanced absentmindedly elsewhere, also thinking deeply.

* * *

Some time passed. While the scenery has barely changed, the team could sense that they were nearing their destination. The very air seemed to be charged with electricity, as if an immense power was drawing closer as the team delved into the very depths of the earth.

"Hey… do you have a moment?" Katelyn asked, catching up briskly with Cobalt.  
"Uh? What's up?" Cobalt replied, "Is it something important?"  
"I suppose it is. It's just… how do I put it…"

Katelyn briefly looked back at the two inklings some distance away behind them. Chris and Mei-Lin seem to be engrossed in discussion, but whatever their topic of discussion was, it was drowned out by distance alongside the steady bubbling of magma flowing around them.

"It's been on my mind for a while now. You know… I've grown up alongside Mei-Lin for a long time now." She spoke. "I always thought that I can always be around to solve whatever problems arose she had. But… now…"

The inkling looked down. For a brief moment, her words were caught in her throat.

"What happened back there, during the battle. The way she… looked at me." Katelyn's voice seemed weaker than usual. "I-I think… all this time, I've never really known her for who she truly was. She was hiding something so terrible and so significant from me... and I've never even noticed it eating away at her…"

Cobalt merely looked at her, silently listening at her words.

"Chris on the other hand… we've barely known each other since we've met, but Mei-Lin's gotten along so well with him so quickly." Katelyn continued. "It's… something that I've been thinking ever since I saw him console her back at her apartment… but do you think I'm… even qualified to be a friend of hers anymore? Chris was willing to be patient and listen to everything Mei-Lin had to say, and I… I just…"

"Don't worry about it." Cobalt replied flatly.  
"Huh?! B-but why?!" Katelyn seemed shocked at the masked inkling's answer.

"I meant what I said." The masked inkling said. "You still think of yourself as a friend of hers. That's kinda enough, isn't it?"  
"…you think so?" Katelyn asked skeptically.  
"Course I do! I mean… Chris tends to prattle on and on, but we've stuck together this long, didn't we? If you're that worried about it though, go talk to her. I'm sure she appreciates you being around."

Katelyn bit her lip, seemingly in thought. She still seemed to be troubled by something else.

"…there's… something else." Katelyn confessed. "That battle… Mei-Lin did so well. I never thought she even had it in her to fight alongside us like that. I'm proud of her, but…"  
"Part of you wished she didn't, I'm guessing?" Cobalt interjected.  
Katelyn seemed genuinely shocked. "H-how did you know? Was I that easy to read!?"

"C'mon, after everything that's happened, even an idiot like me would've noticed." The masked inkling sighed. "I suppose you like doting over her and all, but she's gotta grow up past the whole social awkwardness thing at some point. You'll need to move past her, and maybe worry about something else for a change!"

Katelyn's gaze drifted back toward Mei-Lin chatting in the distance with Chris. She does indeed seem rather happy. But…  
"If only it is just that simple…" She muttered under her breath.

"Hmm? Did you say something else?" Cobalt asked.  
"Oh! I-it's nothing!" Katelyn sputtered. "But speaking of people changing…"

She turned from Mei-Lin, towards the octoling marching some distance ahead of them alone. Eliza seemed as calm as usual from first glance, surveying the cavern around her with a stoic expression. Upon close inspection however, her shoulders appeared to have tensed up, and there was a slight twitch in her right hand that wasn't present before.  
"Eliza's looked the part of this badass soldier chick and all when we first met her, but doesn't she seem awfully on edge now?" Katelyn remarked, looking quizzically at the sniper. "I mean, we're miles underground in the middle of nowhere with lava everywhere around us, I get that. But something tells me that's not what's bothering her… What do you think?"  
"Nah, I'm pretty sure that's it." Cobalt replied doubtfully. "I don't think any of us would walk past lava rivers on a daily basis like this. I bet Eliza's internally screaming or something!"

Katelyn simply shrugged, and just focused on the journey at hand.

* * *

Suddenly, Eliza stopped in her tracks, and the inklings gathered around behind her. Catching a glimpse of the scenery before them, they exchanged looks of surprise.  
"…this…" The octoling uttered, sounding oddly taken aback.

The pathway has terminated, expanding into a large cavern. A large flat island surrounded by a moat of flowing magma lay before them, bridged by a haphazardly built metal crossing. Upon the island itself however, sat a gigantic machine that dominated most of the scenery, the contraption extending all the way into the ceiling. The occasional hiss of steam escaping cracks in the structure was proof that it was somehow connected to the rest of Smokestack.  
Surrounding the stationary device, various ramshackle shacks and sheds were built out of scrap metal, wires and cloth extending every which way into a tangled mess. Yet despite the shoddy craftsmanship of the buildings compared to the structure in the middle, they seem to give off a strange air of childish innocence and nostalgia, almost akin to a treehouse.

"Looks like we've reached the bottom." Chris said, crossing the bridge with the group. "What's with that structure in the middle?"  
"That is most likely a portion of the geothermal generator that is supplying power to the entirety of Sector 0…" Eliza replied. "Strange… I recall nothing on ever being in this part of Sector 0, but this all seems…"

The octoling approached the nearest shack, brushing grime off of a set of books piled up inside. Extracting a book from the pile, Eliza turned open the cover, revealing a set of heavily faded photos within. Most if not all the pictures contained within consisted of a handful of octarian children engaged in various activities.  
"..." Eliza stayed silent, pouring over the images with interest.

The inklings also split up, examining the other shacks. Much of what they found seemed to be random junk, including half-built contraptions, worn out toys, nonsensical doodles scribbled on thick paper, and so on. It was all covered in grime and dust, as if it was all left untouched by anyone for a long time.

"What's all this about?" Katelyn wondered aloud, examining a threadbare doll in her hands. "Why did someone put all this junk at the bottom of a stuffy cave?"  
"From the looks of this scenery…" Mei-Lin replied, looking at a picture frame whose contents have long since worn to an unrecognizable level. "I think this must've been a playground. Is that a logical explanation?"  
"Hey, guys! I found something big!" Cobalt yelled, beckoning the others. "Over here!"

Aside from Eliza who seems to be rather absorbed by the photo album in her hands, the group approached Cobalt as he fiddled with a handful of knotted ropes, tying down a large tarpaulin covering a considerably large object before him.  
"Man, this is strung up tight…" Cobalt grumbled, fumbling with the knot in his hand. "Someone give me a hand!"  
Chris obliged, taking another corner of the tarpaulin to assist in uncovering the object. Katelyn and Mei-Lin together followed suit, and after a few minutes of difficulty the ropes came undone, and the tarpaulin slid aside onto the ground, revealing-

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

The group spun in alarm at the source of the voice. Even Eliza dropped the photo album in her hands in surprise. From the path they came, three all-too-familiar faces are once again gracing them with their presence.  
"W-what the?!" Katelyn sputtered. "How?!"  
"YOU THREE BLEW UP!" Cobalt added, equally exasperated. "How are you guys still standing here!?"

By some miraculous act, it would appear that the Under-Sea-Dogs have returned once again, seemingly succeeding in escaping the destruction of the Octasura. It would be a mistake to say they got away unscathed though, as all three members are no longer riding their signature vehicles, and are covered from head to toe by an almost cartoonish amount of bandages.

"It doesn't matter how we came back!" Heather retorted. "Put that tarpaulin back!"  
"We don't even have the strength to fight back anymore…" Clarence sighed. "Just grant us this request… and leave this place. You've done enough damage."  
"…" Morgan didn't even say anything, but he seems to be silently looking in Eliza's direction, a tired expression on his face.

"….what's going on?" Mei-Lin spoke up. "I… don't sense any fighting spirit from those octarians anymore…"  
Chris turned to look at the object that was hidden under the tarpaulin. It was another machine in a similar vein to the ones the Under-Sea-Dogs were riding, this one a quadruped with a giant gun mounted on the back. The unusually long barrel on the gun seemed to resemble…  
"…a railgun. I'm guessing… this was Anna's contribution to the Octoasura." Chris finished aloud, turning to face the Octarians again. "Was this what you guys were defending?"

"…not just Anna's equipment." Clarence confirmed. "Sealed away down here… are our memories with her, as well as our time spent together when we were children."

"Clarence." Heather interrupted.

"It's okay Heather, I think they deserve to know." The octoball looked back at the inklings. "After Anna's… disappearance, we gathered up every last memorabilia of our times together, and gathered it all here. This particular place is special to us you see… it was our secret base. When we were children, we used to gather here together, to play, devise plans for the future…  
"When that incident happened, we… couldn't come to terms that our lifelong friend will never come back to us. All we could do was pledge to protect this place, this shrine to our innocence. If we lost that… what reason left is there for us to fight for our cause anymore?" Clarence looked around the cavern, a regretful look in his singular eye. "I wonder sometimes… if we've lost sight of our original goal along the way."

"Clarence!" Heather repeated.

"Am I wrong, Heather?" The octoball replied, a weary sigh escaping his mouth. "Somewhere down the line, it seems like we've been consumed by thoughts of vengeance. I think… the moment we've left our childhood memories here, we've also left our innocence behind. All that mattered was to find the culprit responsible for Anna's…death, and to that end we've waited a long time for inklings to show up in Sector 0, hoping it would be the same ones that did the deed."

Clarence turned to look at Heather in the eyes, bowing apologetically.  
"…I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn."

"No, no." Heather replied tersely. "…if anything, you're absolutely right. How did I not see it…?"

A somber silence hung in the air. The inklings looked at one another, then at the octarians before them. "I…. I don't know what I'm supposed to say." Katelyn said, sympathetically. "If we had known this place meant so much to you guys…"

"…Why are you two so troubled?"

Heather and Clarence snapped out of their stupor, and turned to face their fellow member. On closer examination, Morgan's expression seems just as weary as his fellow teammates, but there seems to be a strange air of renewed hope around him.  
"…Morgan?" Heather said, concerned.

"Haven't you two noticed yet?" Morgan said, strangely calm. "Anna's… come back to us. For the first time in years… the Under-Sea-Dogs are truly gathered together proper in this place. Isn't that right… Miss Octoling"

Morgan proceeded to look straight at Eliza, prompting surprise from everyone else in the vicinity. Almost instinctively, the inklings backed away from the octoling in surprise.  
"W-what? Morgan, have you lost your mind?!" Heather exclaimed. "She can't be Anna!"  
"That can't be…" Mei-Lin muttered. "You're…. not actually…?"

"W-what is this?! That's not possible!" Eliza shouted, seemingly in a state of confusion. "I thought this Anna girl's… I can't be her!"

"No, there's no mistaking it." Morgan reaffirmed. "I had my suspicions when I saw you at first, no octoling I knew ever possessed tentacles that long. But during our battle… you said something to that one girl. At that very moment… I knew."

"I-I did…?" Eliza muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"'A spark flickers deep within you, one that will never be extinguished'. I will never forget those words…" Morgan nodded slowly. "…because those were the exact words I said to you long ago… when you first joined our cause. I'll never forget those eyes… innocent, yet burning with strength."

"That... that can't be…" Eliza fell to her knees, clutching her head. "Lord Octavio… Lord Octavio told me those words! It… it isn't…"

"Hey, hey! Shouldn't we stop them?" Cobalt whispered, glancing at his teammates. Surprisingly, Katelyn was the one that shook her head.  
"…Wait, Cobalt." She replied. "I feel like we should wait this one out."  
"Wait, seriously? Why? What's gonna happen if they turn Eliza on us?!"  
Katelyn shook her head. "I… I don't think that's gonna happen. Look."

"I…I am Eliza… ugh… Leader of the Blue-Ringed Menace squadron…" The octoling croaked, shaking her head vigorously. "I am… a soldier. Nothing matters… but the mission…"

"Please, you gotta remember!" Morgan urged, stepping forward. "Remember all the times we've spent together! Those horrible things you said to me the day before you ran away… I don't care anymore! Just come back to us!"

"Wait…" Chris said. "Did something happen between him and Anna before she disappeared? What Morgan said there…"  
"Morgan, what are you rambling on about?!" Heather yelled, just as confused as the inklings were. "What did you mean she 'ran away'?"

Morgan didn't reply, simply falling onto his knees. With an exhausted sigh, he stared intently at Eliza, who is now collapsed on all fours, breathing heavily. The octoling was no longer moving, merely facing down on the ground.

Slowly, her mouth opened, and she choked out a few words, her voice unusually monotone, yet heavily strained.  
"Mor…gan… I… I'm…s-sorry… AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Convulsing heavily, Eliza screamed. She was clutching her head with both hands, clearly in a state of agony.

"No…. I'm… I'M ELIZA…! Anna… ANNA IS GONE! Who…. WHO… WHAT AM I…!"

"E-Eliza!" Mei-Lin exclaimed, stepping forward. "She's… She's in pain…!"  
"So it's true?!" Clarence shouted, realization hitting him. "So, this octoling really is…!"

" **That is enough. This child is suffering. Why must you invoke the memories she wished to discard?** "

The inklings and octarians perked up at the sound of the voice. Just like the Spirit of Infrastructure, the voice seemed to echo through their minds directly like a half-formed thought. Visions shot through their heads as the words formed, invoking images of aquatic animals crawling onto land, a field of unrecognizable creatures roaring in unison, and a bonfire being set alight by bipedal creatures cloaked in shadows.

"This voice…" Chris said, "It's the cross!"  
"Wait, really?" Cobalt replied, looking around. "I don't see anything remotely cross-shaped around here! Where's it hiding this time?"

As if on cue, the machine in the center of the island seemed to unfold, panels sliding back neatly upwards, revealing a familiarly shaped object buried deeply into the ground. A powerful light shone from the cross, outshining the glow from the surrounding magma.

" **I am here.** " The cross replied. " **Tell me, brothers-in-arms. Why bring mention to that which causes pain to this unfortunate girl?** "

"Crossy! What are you doing, revealing yourself to these inklings like that?!" Heather exclaimed. "You're supposed to stay hidden!"  
"…Crossy?" Katelyn repeated, bemused by the nickname. "I guess the Under-Sea-Dogs are well acquainted with the cross, huh?"  
"Never mind that…" Mei-Lin interjected, looking worriedly at Eliza. The octoling was still screaming her lungs out. "…is there anything we can do?"

" **It is a simple matter for me to restore her memories. However…** " The cross's light dimmed for a brief moment. " **Are you all willing to accept the consequences?** "

"She's our sister-in-arms, an irreplaceable member of our team." Clarence replied determinedly. "If there is a chance that we can bring her back to us, I will take it."

" **Are you certain of the choice you made, Under-Sea-Dogs?** " The cross intoned. " **Know this: this girl chose to discard her memories of the past. Will you still continue, knowing that you are going against her wishes?** "

A sullen silence fell over the octarians. But they looked at one another, and simply nodded. Morgan stepped towards Eliza, kneeling before her twitching body.  
"…we grew up together, and entrusted our lives to one another." He said. "I knew I made a fatal mistake with Anna… but we've always bounced back from any hardships together as a team, and this will be no different. We will all take responsibility for the consequences, together!"

"… **very well. Child of the sea, may your true self reawaken from her slumber!** "

A beam of light suddenly shot out from the cross, striking Eliza directly. For a brief moment, the octoling's form seemed to convulse even harder, before she went still, her screams petering out in an instant.  
The inklings watched as the octarians gathered around the fallen octoling. Slowly, she stirred, and rose from the ground, looking around her.

"…Morgan? Heather? Clarence? I… I remember now…" Eliza said. Her tone has changed drastically, the cold indifferent voice giving way to a considerably gentler and innocent one. "I really remember it all… Oh… oh gods…"

"That voice… I knew it… Anna… ANNA! It's really you!" Morgan exclaimed, looking up at the octoling. "I can't believe it… how'd an octosniper end up in the body of an octoling like this?!"  
"Looks like she hasn't changed at all inside though. She's still the innocent gal we all know and love." Heather said, beaming. "What'd you been up to, you crazy broad?!"

"I… I'm SORRY!" Eliza fell to her knees again, tears slowly forming in her eyes. "I… I lost hope… and I got into an argument with Morgan behind your backs… I wanted to run away from it all… and… and…!"

The octoling glanced at her own hands, staring fixedly at them. Her hands shook as tears began streaming down her cheeks.  
"I-I wanted to see the world…" She whimpered, "I don't want to be confined in this pit anymore. So I… traded away my body and my memories, just so I can live a new life, far away from here. I just wanted to escape…"

Her arms shook, as she began choking back wracked sobs. The Under-Sea-Dogs could only watch, struck speechless.  
"I… I got what I wanted. I became a prestigious soldier, I became strong, everyone looks up to me. So why…" Eliza's voice cracked. "Why… I'm… I'm feeling this emptiness… What was the point of all this…!"

"Look, that's enough." Clarence interrupted, stepping up to the distraught octoling. "We don't care at all about stupid stuff like that. You're here with us again, and that's all that matters."  
"Though… I guess we can't even dote over you anymore, now that you're this big and strong octoling!" Heather joked around, a smirk on her face. "Good grief, you used to be half my size, and now look at you! You're big enough to grab all of us in your arms… and you have arms! I mean, I'm just guessing and all, but…"

Eliza looked up at her former comrades, confused. "You're… you're not all mad at me? But I… I betrayed you all, by… wishing for a body like this. I can't call myself an Under-Sea-Dogs member anymore if I'm now an octoling…"  
"What? If anything, that just makes it easier to make our wishes come true." Morgan reassured, reaching out of a fold in his bandages and withdrawing a necklace. It was an unremarkable-looking charm roughly created from scrap metal in the shape of a four-pointed star, with the names of the Under-Sea-Dogs etched in the sides. Despite its shabbiness, it seemed to hold a lot of memories within. "Here, Anna… I believe this belongs to you."

Seeing the octarians before her beaming, Eliza's sorrowful expression slowly faded away, in its place a heartwarming smile. Reaching out, she accepted the necklace from Morgan, wearing it around her own neck.

"Heather… you said that I'm now big enough to grab you all, right?" She said, beaming. "I guess I should test that out right now, shouldn't I?"  
Reaching out with both arms, she embraced the Under-Sea-Dog members before her, her oversized tentacle also uncoiling and wrapping the entire group in a tight hug. The team quickly dissolved into sounds of sobbing and laughing, as they reveled in their reunion together.

"…I guess everyone's got their own stories to tell, huh?" Cobalt remarked, watching the octarians before him break apart, sharing tales of accomplishments with one another. "Look at 'em. It's like they're a family. They must've been through a lot."  
"I'm just glad that Eliza finally found happiness…" Mei-Lin said, smiling gently. "Though… should I be calling her Anna now? I don't know…"  
"...so she's really Anna, huh?" Katelyn said, looking down on her skates. "Didn't they say she was an octosniper though? How'd she end up becoming an octoling like that?"  
Chris turned towards the cross, beckoning the team to follow. "We can always ask the cross ourselves. I bet it's got a LOT of explaining to do."

The inklings stepped up in front of the cross, staring up at the shining light at its center. As they did so, its voice rang through their minds once again.

" **So you have arrived, pilgrims.** " The cross intoned. " **I am the Spirit of Evolution, one of the four that keeps watch over this land. You have done well to make it this far.** "  
"So you're our second target." Cobalt replied, squinting slightly at the light. "So… Spirit of… Actually can't I just call you Crossy just like the Under-Sea-Dogs did? Spirit of Evolution's a mouthful."  
"The last cross read our minds directly." Chris said. "You should know why we're here, right?"

" **Indeed. You seek to cure the ailing spirit of Inkopolis.** " The Spirit replied. " **For that purpose, I shall lend you my power. But… I believe the four of you have concerns to voice. I shall address each and every one individually, before I do so.** "

"I got one!" Katelyn exclaimed, raising her hand. "Umm…. Who IS Eliza, exactly? Or I suppose… Anna?"

" **Ah yes… that would be the logical first question…** " The cross's light seemed to flicker briefly. " **That child was a tortured soul. Trapped in a confined cavern for years, wondering if there's a world beyond where she grew up, and yet she was forbidden from ever leaving by those of superior authority. Because of that, a mere curiosity grew into an obsession, and she eventually desired to leave Sector 0 altogether despite the protest of her friends. You already know of the remainder of that tale from that girl's testimony.** "

"I… I see…" Katelyn's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh gods… I just realized. If Eliza's really Anna… I almost…"  
"Least you didn't go through with it." Cobalt remarked, shaking his head. "Good grief, if you really did splat her permanently, we would've ended up in a seriously awkward position."  
"You're right… what would've Timmy and Granny said if they…"  
"Who're they?" Cobalt's head tilted in confusion.  
Katelyn merely sighed. "…long story."

"Morgan seemed shocked by how Anna changed though, it can't be something that occurred normally..." Mei-Lin continued with the questions. "Was it you that changed Anna into an octoling, by any chance?"

" **Indeed… That would be due to my innate ability.** " The Spirit replied. " **As the Spirit of Evolution, I preside over the aspect that allows the strong to thrive, and allow the weak to release their full potential. Physical growth, spiritual growth, these are the pillars of evolution that I hold dominion over. As all octarians share a common origin, transmogrifying that child into another sub-species was simple.** "

"Spiritual growth…" Mei-Lin muttered to herself, glancing briefly at the Splatterscope strapped to her back. "My Special, it charged on its own… was that your doing?"

" **On the contrary, I played no part in that battle. I simply watched as a bystander.** " The cross's light shone brightly. " **What you refer to as a 'Special' is merely fighting spirit given physical form by the weapons you carry. When you finally discovered your inner resolve to fight, your surging spirit gave rise to hidden strength. That was all.** "

"I… I see… That's how it is…" Mei-Lin looked around at nothing in particular, seemingly uncertain.

"Hold up, did you say that YOU were the reason Anna became an octoling?" Morgan interjected, pushing past the inklings. "If that's the case… I have a request. Make me one too!"

There was a collective yell of surprise from the inklings and octarians from Morgan's proclamation. Heather immediately turned to face the octocopter, her face completely shocked.  
"W-what's this nonsense you're spouting, Morgan?!" She shouted. "That came outta left field. Why?"

"I've decided." Morgan replied, his face stony. "All this time, I was cursing myself that Anna disappeared, because I was too weak. But now that I know she's been bearing such a burden, I want to carry it with her. If that means relinquishing my octocopter body, I'll do it."

"Dude, you realize what you're saying?! Granny's gonna flip if she sees you as an octoling! Or for that matter, is she even going to recognize you?" Heather spluttered, turning to Clarence. "Hey you, say something as well, talk some sense into this idiot!"

"I agree with Morgan." Clarence simply said, stepping up alongside the octocopter. "Count me in."

"What the heck…" Heather's expression was of complete disbelief. "I'm not sure I want to, you guys. I mean, the point of the Under-Sea-Dogs is to establish equality among the octarians, it'd be a bit weird if three of us are octolings."  
"Is it?" Eliza asked.  
"Yeah…" Heather looked upwards towards the ceiling, her eyes slightly distant. "I want to prove to the world that we weaklings have some manner of worth in this world. I'll stay in a body of an octotrooper if it'll prove to Lord Octavio that we can be truly powerful and stand on equal footing with our superiors. That is what I believe."

"Oh, is that so?" Eliza said playfully. "You know, while I was up there, I've met my fair share of inkling agents. Each and every last one couldn't keep their eyes off of me… I think some of them even offered me gifts! I turned them down though…"  
The octoling looked towards the inklings, smirking sarcastically. "To think you'd give up those benefits for our ideals… How truly admirable! No wonder you're the one calling the shots in our team!"

Heather grimaced for a brief moment, as an internal debate raged in her head over the course of a few seconds. Eventually, she grumbled in defeat, as she marched up to her teammates looking expectantly at the cross.  
"Aaaaaargh… Curse you, peer pressure! You win this round!"

" **So you have all chosen to receive my blessing?** " The cross intoned. " **How unexpected…** "

"You heard 'em, Crossy!" Heather replied. "Though tell me…. It's not going to hurt an awful lot, is it?"  
"THAT'S what you're worried about?!" Cobalt snickered off to the side. "I'd be a bit more worried having my own species changed and all…"  
"Oh be quiet, you!" The octotrooper shot back with a look of irritation. "Now hurry it up before I change my mind!"

" **Very well. By the power vested in me by the gods… I release your inner potential!** "

A blast of light shot out of the cross, enveloping the three octarians. Before the inklings eyes, flesh shifted, limbs grew, and colors changed. From their simplistic forms, their shifting bodies slowly began to resemble something humanoid in shape.  
It was over in a matter of minutes. Where Heather, Morgan and Clarence once stood, now stand three octolings, all breathing heavily from the stress of the transformation. Similar to Eliza, the octolings all appear to have unique appearances befitting of their previous forms. The black paint previously on their bodies appeared to have suffused into their tentacles, dyeing them a shade of black akin to Eliza's own.

There was however, a minor issue that presented itself almost immediately…

"Oh… um…" Chris mumbled, looking elsewhere.  
"Ahhh!" Katelyn shrieked, coving her eyes. Mei-Lin did the same, blushing heavily.  
"Hey, Crossy?" Cobalt chuckled, tilting his head downwards. "I do believe you've forgotten something…"

The newly formed octolings glanced at one another, and it didn't take long to realize that all three of them were entirely naked. The collective yelps of surprise and embarrassment echoed loudly around the entire cavern.

"W-what the hell, Crossy?!" Heather exclaimed, trying to cover her new body with two longer than normal tentacles that grew from the back of her head. "You can magic us new bodies, but clothes are beyond you?!"  
"I guess we WERE technically nude before." Clarence mused, absentmindedly brushing away at the one tentacle that obscured one of his eyes with his free hand. "It just wasn't an issue up until now…"  
"At any rate, we can't stay like this forever!" Morgan looked around, the ponytail-esque tentacle on the back of his head swaying frantically. "Clarence, you do remember the time we swiped some octoling undergarments before, right? They should still be around here!"  
"Wait, what were you guys doing with octoling clothing when you can't even wear them?" Katelyn asked, still trying to cover her eyes. "Wait, actually, I don't wanna know. Scratch that question!"  
Heather immediately looked around in a panic, trying to look for the smallest hint of fabric among the pile of memorabilia. "Never mind all that! Clarance, Morgan! Grab those clothes! AND DON'T YOU DARE OGLE AT ME WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!"  
The two guys saluted reflexively with their free hands. "Y-yes ma'am!"

Eliza merely chuckled at the fiasco, as her teammates scrambled through the area, searching desperately for clothing while trying to avoid looking at each other.

* * *

"Well… This is now happening." Cobalt laughed as quietly as he could.  
"Yeah…" Chris agreed.

Some time has passed since the Under-Sea-Dogs have scrounged up some clothing and have since calmed down. From afar, the team watched as the three newly created octolings experimented with their new bodies, with Eliza instructing them. They grasped the fundamentals of switching forms easily, but getting used to their arms and legs seem to be taking considerably longer.  
Bemused by Morgan falling over once again as he tripped over his own feet, the masked inkling got up from his sitting position, and turned to face the cross.

"Looks like they'll be at it for a while. So in the meantime, that… portion of power… stone fragment… thing." Cobalt held out his hand, gesturing towards the cross. "Can we have it yet? I don't wanna stick around boiling magma for any longer, if it's all the same to you."

" **Very well. I bestow upon you a piece of my power. Keep it safe.** "

The cross's light grew brighter, and a ball of light descended from the center. Cobalt snatched it out of the air mid-flight, opening his palm and revealing another stone fragment in his grasp.  
"Well, that's that." The masked inkling said enthusiastically. "Now we just have to wait until those octarians are done embarrassing themselves."

"Hey, I heard that you know." A voice said. Turning around, the inklings saw Heather approaching them, along with the other octarians.  
"Finished with your little 'playing with your new bodies' session?" Cobalt remarked.  
Katelyn snorted loudly, barely stifling a laugh. "Pfffft, Cobalt! Phrasing!"

"I suppose so. You know… Anna had a lot of stories to tell us when we had that talk. Looks like a lot has changed on the surface." The former octotrooper shiftily looked around, before bowing apologetically. "I feel like we owe you guys an apology."  
"…I suppose we can call it even. We weren't even aware of what you guys had to deal with, either." Chris replied. "At any rate… was there something else you want to tell us?"

"We're debating on our next course of action, now that Anna's returned to us." Clarence said. "But, we're still in the process of settling on a decision, so we'll need your inputs."  
"She's given us the short version on why you inklings are down here." Morgan added. "But there's still something I don't fully understand: how does visiting the cross help Inkopolis in any way?"

Chris briefly rummaged through his pockets, withdrawing the quarter of stone sphere the team retrieved from the last cross. As he examined the strange etchings on the flat surface once again, his face scrunched up in confusion.  
"Honestly, I'm not sure myself." He muttered, pocketing the object. "We've collected this from the first cross, and now we've gotten another from this one too. But I still don't know what we're supposed to be doing with them..."

"Wait, you mean to tell me that the inklings that took down my beloved Octoasura were acting without a clear understanding of their end goal?!" Heather exclaimed, alarmed by the fact. "I'm not sure if I should be ashamed at myself or laughing at you guys!"  
"I cannot claim that I know how these inklings were like outside of the mission at hand," Eliza said, looking at the team. "But even without an end goal, they most certainly have conviction. They most likely have their own reasons to embark on their quest other than simply restoring Inkopolis."  
"Yeah… you're right." Katelyn said quietly, slowly glancing at Mei-Lin. Noticing her friend staring at her, she merely responded with a weak smile.  
"I suppose we do all have our personal reasons to be risking our tentacles here." Cobalt added. "With that being said of course… I suppose we should be on our way."

"Wait, there's one more question I have to ask." Chris said, turning to face the cross. "Would you happen to know anything about the Pawn I encountered?"

There was a confused silence as the other inklings and the octarians save for Clarence looked at each other with puzzled expressions. The cross was strangely mute as well, as the light in its center flickered erratically.

"Eh? Pawn? Whaddya mean, this isn't chess!" Cobalt exclaimed, "Chris, I don't follow…"  
"That was the name of the machine that tried to ransack the Grand Library…" Clarence recalled. "True… that machine is most certainly not natural by any means, given how its entire body was far beyond what octarians can manufacture. It seemed to be also aware of this inkling's name, so I wouldn't blame him for inquiring."

Eventually, the cross finally answered. However, the voice that rang through their heads seemed suffused with concern.  
" **…it would seem it has already begun.** " The Spirit intoned. " **How unexpected… I had not foreseen him making his move this soon.** "

"…what?" Chris spluttered, having trouble processing what was being said.

At least, that was before the earth began to tremble beneath their feet, and thoughts of confusion were instantly swept aside.

"W-what the hell?!" Katelyn exclaimed. "What's happening?!"

* * *

"GRAMPS! OCTAVIO! We've got trouble!"  
"Nnnngh, of all the times too. Why now?!"

It was complete disarray at the entrance to Sector 0. Everyone within the cavern felt the tremors coming from the heart of the abandoned section of Octo Valley, and the majority of them have scattered all over the place from their previously orderly formations in a panic. Even though the tremors were weakened by distance, they have yet to die down.  
Captain Cuttlefish burst through the curtains of the base of operations, with DJ Octavio following shortly after. Some distance away, Callie is scrambling over from console to console, desperately trying to process the data being fed in alongside Marie.

"Agent 1, Agent 2! Status report!" Cuttlefish exclaimed.

"This… this is bad!" Callie replied, watching one of the monitors. "We're picking up seismic activity from the bottom of Sector 0, and it's causing a chain reaction!"  
"Structural integrity of the entire sector is dropping in various places…" Marie added, looking just as shocked as her cousin. "We don't have much time before the domes are going to start collapsing!"

"Ugh… looks like we'll be starting our rescue plan earlier than scheduled." Octavio grumbled, shaking his head. "Cuttlefish, I'll be mobilizing my forces immediately. You know what to do!"  
"Like you need to tell me! Now move!"

As Octavio rushed out past the curtains already barking orders along the way, Captain Cuttlefish hobbled up to the console himself and activated the intercom.  
"LISTEN UP, BUCKOS!" Cuttlefish's voice echoed around the entire cavern, and the Agents that were running around in a mad rush stopped in their tracks. "It would appear that we will have to proceed with our rescue operation earlier than scheduled! You all know your roles, but just as a reminder: Octavio and his forces will be entering Sector 0 before we do. Once the squads give the OK signal, we will advance and assist in evacuation!"

Some of the Agents eagerly rushed towards the entrance to Sector 0, retaking their formal positions immediately. However, a handful stayed rooted onto the spot. Now that the time has finally come, it would appear that they were showing reluctance.

"I can see from here some of you are scared." Callie's voice chimed in on the intercom. "It's okay… I'm scared too! But that's not important right now!"  
The hesitant Agents exchanged looks at one another. Some were voicing their complaints too, mostly afraid of being flattened by several tons of bedrock.  
"Right now, our topmost priority is to ensure the safety of those innocents still trapped in Sector 0. The octarians gave us the opportunity to forget about the problems back in Inkopolis, it's about time we returned the favor!" Marie's voice added, determined. "You're still free to relent if you're afraid, but don't forget about your fellow inklings that have already decided to risk their lives!"

That was enough to mobilize the stragglers, the remaining Agents lining up with the others already gathered around the entrance. Shortly after, Octavio's vehicle flew straight down the main tunnel while various octarian forces immediately went down the widened side paths, proceeding with the operation. The Agents stayed vigilant, waiting for the all-clear signal to arrive despite the ceaseless tremors.

"You know, Marie…" Callie said, turning towards her counterpart with a nervous smirk. "You say the weirdest things to motivate people sometimes…"  
The Squid Sister merely responded with a bemused expression. "Well… let's just say I learnt that from some book I read, peer pressure is a truly terrifying force. That being said though… I am worried for the recon team. They're close to the epicenter of the quakes…"  
"All we can do now is wait, buckos." Cuttlefish finished, tapping his cane expectantly. "Let's hope for everyone's safety, and the success of the operation. With any luck, we'll be hearing from the recon team soon enough."

Marie simply nodded, and watched the archway around the entrance to Sector 0. The scaffolding is creaking ever so slightly from the shockwaves…

* * *

Mei-Lin fell forward, knocked off balance by the powerful tremors around her. As she looked up, she could see that her teammates as well as the octarians have all collapsed from the intensity of the upheaval. All around her, she could see rocks crumbling from the ceiling, dropping into the lava with a hiss.

"A-an earthquake?!" Heather exclaimed, desperately trying to get up. "Now?!"  
"It's strong…" Eliza added, a look of shock dawning on her face. "Oh no… the octarians up above! They're in danger!"  
"This isn't good. We have to get out of here immediately!" Clarence shouted, barely able to stand for a second before another shockwave bowled him over again.

"We were supposed to return to the surface before the rescue operation begins too…" Chris grumbled, "But these tremors? I wouldn't be surprised if it meant they'll have to begin much earlier than scheduled."  
"I have to return to the Civilian District!" Morgan cried. "The octarians living there, they'll need our help!"  
"Oh crap, you're right. They'll need me back at the fortress too!" Heather realized, trying to get up from the ground again. "We gotta bail!"

Laying a hand onto a nearby steel panel as support, Cobalt meticulously helped himself up. Lending an arm, he helped up his team one by one, before stumbling slowly to the octolings and got them up from the rocky ground as well.  
"Count us in!" He breathed loudly through his mask, "Something tells me they'll need all the help they can get!"  
"Yeah… what he said!" Katelyn agreed determinedly. "I'll help you guys save Timmy and Granny, I promise!"

"Then we've got no time to waste. Take what you need, and let's run for it!" Heather yelled, making a run for the exit. "Everyone, watch out for falling rocks!"

As the Under-Sea-Dogs filed out one by one, Mei-Lin immediately realized in a panic that she's forgotten something from the last battle.  
"Oh… the New Squiffer… where did it go?" She exclaimed, looking around. "Oh no… I must've dropped it…!"  
"It's okay Mei-Lin, I have it right here." Eliza replied, holding out the Charger she dropped during the last scuffle. "Please keep an eye on it."

As Mei-Lin accepted the weapon, she realized something else. Reaching back, she tried to grasp her free hand around Eliza's Splatterscope that she had strapped to her back.  
"Oh… right. Eliza… wait, s-should I call you that anymore…?" Mei-Lin stammered. "I-"

"Anna, Eliza, whichever you prefer is fine." The octoling sniper smiled. "And well… you can keep it. It'll serve as a nice reminder of what you've learned down here."  
"E-Eliza…" Mei-Lin was at a loss for words.

"Hey, I hate the interrupt the moment, but the place is coming down on us!" Cobalt interjected loudly, stopping in the middle of chasing after the Under-Sea-Dogs. "I swear the magma's starting to act up too. We gotta get outta here, FAST!"  
"ACK! SERIOUSLY?!" Katelyn screeched, noticing that the magma is indeed also rising slowly as a result of the tremors. "RUUUUN!"

* * *

As the inklings ran for the exit with Eliza in tow, all that remained was the cross, shining faintly as the lava slowly rose around the island, and boulders began crashing all around it.

"Ah… the folly of youth." A voice chuckled. "Perhaps this earthquake couldn't have come at a better time."

A hooded figure stepped out of the shadows, watching the cephalopods escape the crumbling cavern. His head turned as he surveyed the cavern, seeing the various shacks at the very edges of the island slowly crumble into the rising magma. The memorabilia scattered around the island fell into the molten rock one by one, sinking into its depths.

"… **what are your thoughts on the Pawn's appearance?** " The cross asked. " **Quite the elaborate setting…** "

"Hohoho, you are right. It was most impressive…" The figure chuckled. "I can't deny it worries me greatly, though."

" **It is not our place to say what fate has in store for us, or our heroes. But… all we can do would be to pray that this pilgrimage comes to fruition.** "

"And the pieces will be in place. I most certainly look forward to it… Hohoho."

* * *

 **AN: Boy, these chapters have been getting more elaborate over the last few months, haven't they? Might be because I've been taking WAY too long to write them, in all honesty.  
** **News does float around, but for those not in the know, I've been a part of a new group called the Splatoon Writer Community on Discord lately. While the guys and girls on it are charitably described as a band of misfits, they're pretty great motivation for writing (and I even earned several adoring fans on there, much to my surprise). I would want partly dedicate the completion of this chapter to their encouragement and incessant nagging.**


	35. Ascension (Part 1)

**Ascension (Part 1)**

* * *

It was absolute chaos. Crumbling rocks falling every which way, magma hissing furiously as the team ran for their lives.  
And the tremors. Each shockwave stronger than the last, as if a tremendous monstrosity was awakening beneath their feet.

"Faster! FASTER!" Chris yelled desperately, sidestepping a boulder that was mere moments from flattening him. "We have to get out of here, or we're screwed!"  
"YOU DON'T SAY?!" Cobalt shouted, stumbling over a crack in the ground briefly.

As the combined group of inklings and octolings filed into the freight elevator shaft, the ground beneath them cascaded once again from the upheaval, throwing them off balance. All around them, bits of rock and dirt rained from the sky, as an ominous creak of metal under stress echoed up and down the shaft.

"CHRIS! HEADS UP!"

A shadow appeared in Chris's path, followed by a forklift. He quickly ground to a halt as the corroded vehicle landed on the reinforced platform, the machine breaking apart from the impact instantaneously as if it were made of paper. Instinctively, he shielded his eyes as metal pieces flew every which way, shrapnel embedding itself into the walls and the floor.

"Oh crap, OH CRAP!" Katelyn yelled, ducking down to avoid the deluge of shrapnel. "I don't wanna go out like this!"

A rush of heat burst from behind them, the group ducking to the sides of the gateway for cover. Magma crept around a corner in the far distance of the cavern, slowly consuming the walkway as it rose higher and higher.

"You can't be serious..." Cobalt groaned, looking upwards. "If the falling crap doesn't flatten us, that lava's gonna cook us alive! What are we gonna do?!"

"We'll have to buy some time… the shutter! Close the shutter!" Mei-Lin shouted, noticing a button next to the gate and hammering it with her fist. There was no response however… "No… no! Close, close!"  
"This isn't good, the motors must be damaged!" Clarence exclaimed, looking up at the mechanism in the door. "We will have to close them manually!"

"If we can do it in time, that is." Chris said, facing Heather. "You guys know this place a lot better than we do. Your call?"  
"Huh?! Um…" The octoling looked around, surveying the area. Her eyes quickly settled on the giant motors lining the sides of the freight elevator. "Alright then, me, Morgan and Clarence will get the freight elevator moving. Looks like the remote controls are busted, so we'll need to hotwire the elevator manually to get us up. It'll take us some time, so the rest of you, yes you too Anna, get that shutter closed so we can rule out 'getting fried' on our list of ways to go. Got it?!"  
"Wait, I can help you all out with getting the elevator working." Eliza protested. "Why are you telling me to help the inklings?"  
"I'm still getting used to these new arms, I'm not much help in a physical situation. And well, looking at these inklings, something tells me it'll take 'em too long to get up to the shutter mechanism. You get me?"  
Seemingly realizing what Heather was suggesting, Eliza nodded. "I understand."

As the Under-Sea-Dogs made a beeline towards the sides of the elevator, Eliza turned to face the inklings behind her.  
"No time to explain, whichever one of you is proudest of their arm strength, squid form now!" She commanded.

Cobalt was the quickest to oblige, flopping to the ground. "Okay? Where are you g-"

That was before Eliza quickly snatched Cobalt from the ground, lobbing him straight at the shutter mechanism above them like a boomerang. The unfortunate inkling smacked face-first into the wall, groaning weakly as he peeled off the surface and collapsed on top of the dusty mechanism, tentacles still twitching.  
"Pffft…" Katelyn snickered, "I should try that out myself sometime."

"There should be a lever up there labelled 'Manual Release'!" Eliza shouted upwards at the dizzy inkling. "Pull it!"  
"Alright, alright! Geez…" Cobalt grunted, clutching his head as he switched back to inkling form. Spotting a rusted lever sticking out of the device, he gripped onto the handle, and pulled as hard as he can. The lever creaked slightly, but barely moved.

"Hurry up, Cobalt… we can't dawdle here!" Chris yelled, noticing that the magma in the caverns beyond has risen considerably, and is mere moments from reaching them. Even from a distance, he could feel the heat radiating from the molten rock like an intense sunbeam.

"Frickin'… BUDGE, DAMMIT!" Cobalt yelled. With a determined grunt, he firmly planted his feet down as leverage, before using his entire body weight to wrench the lever backwards.  
The rusted mechanism creaked in protest, but eventually the lever gave way. As Cobalt fell backwards from the sudden movement, the shutter quickly fell and slammed shut, moments before the magma finally reached the doorway, the lethal hazard bubbling ominously from behind the shutter.

"You guys owe me for this, alright?" The masked inkling picked himself up from the ground, still seeing stars from the impact. "Urrgh… I'm not a Splat Bomb, you didn't have to throw me!"  
"My apologies…" Eliza bowed her head. "It was a desperate situation, I had to improvise."

Another shockwave shook the elevator shaft, momentarily throwing the group off balance yet again.  
"At any rate, we're still not out of the woods yet." Chris said, eyeing the octolings in the distance. "Are they done? I'm not sure that shutter will hold for long!"

"Easy for you to say! I'd like to see you perform impromptu engineering with unfamiliar limbs while in the middle of an earthquake!" Morgan yelled, fumbling a handful of wires. "Ugh…. Just gotta… there we go! I'm set!"  
"This motor's also set to go!" Clarence declared. "Heather, ready?"  
"Gotcha! Alright, on the count of three, jolt 'em simultaneously! One… two…THREE!"

There was a deep rumbling noise as the freight elevator shuddered and started ascending. As the team relaxed ever so slightly, a thought occurred to Cobalt as the adrenaline began to wear off.  
"Say…" He said, approaching Heather, who was trying to keep the wires in her hand steady. "I just remembered. You managed to get to this place before we could… how'd you manage that?"  
"Teleporters. Our vehicles had recall functions, just in case." Heather didn't even turn to face the masked inkling, too engrossed in keeping her arms steady. "If you're thinking that we could've used that to escape, well… you guys DID trash 'em pretty badly."  
"Oh. Well, just wondering out loud. I mean, isn't there this saying that when there's an emergency, you shouldn't use the-"

Abruptly, another powerful tremor shot through the entirety of the power plant, this one rocking the elevator shaft rather badly. Unfortunately, it would seem that it took out something important, as all three of the freight elevator's motors suddenly sparked and whined pitifully, the platform coming to a dead stop.  
"…lifts." Cobalt finished meekly, feeling judgmental eyes on him. "…Crap."  
"COBALT, YOU COLOSSAL JINX!" Katelyn yelled. "Of all the things you had to say!"  
"It's not my fault!" Cobalt retorted.

Suddenly, a crackle came through on the inkling's headsets. Mei-Lin picked up the call, and was greeted by a familiar and gruff voice, alongside the distinct whirr of rocket boosters.  
"…ah, there we go!" Octavio's voice issued through the speakers. "Guess it really was a matter of distance!"  
"DJ Octavio?" Mei-Lin replied. Immediately, the Under-Sea-Dogs snapped to look at her in response to the name. "E-erm… what's the matter?"  
"What's the matter?! C'mon, the earth's shaking, everything's tumbling down, it's it freakin' obvious?! Ahem…" The sound of boosters seemed to decrease in volume, as Octavio seemingly came to a dead stop on his DJ booth. "So, got a status report?"  
"We're on our way out of Smokestack… but the freight elevator's broken down! We're trapped down here!" Mei-Lin replied desperately. "If we can't get out of here… we're…"  
"Freight elevator… ah, I getcha." Octavio's voice said, the sound of dials being turned issuing through the headset. "Alright, you guys better find somewhere to hide! It's time for my daring rescue scene!"

Chris, listening to the call, realized what was going to happen next. "Everyone! The sides! NOW!"

As the inklings and octolings all ran to the walls of the elevator shaft, a deafening screeching noise echoed from above, followed by a rain of rubble and debris. Not too long after, a particularly large blur fell towards the center, stopping just mere moments from crashing onto the platform. A shower of scrap metal and boulders followed right after, but bounced off harmlessly on what appears to be a forcefield.  
As the smoke cleared from the commotion, DJ Octavio's booth was revealed, hovering a few feet above the freight elevator. Mechanical fists at the ready, the vehicle let loose a few punches, demolishing the remnants of the falling objects that were about to land on top of the group.  
"Gyahahahaha, I still know how to make an entrance!" The octarian leader laughed, looking rather proud of himself before he struck a pose atop his booth. "DJ Octavio on the house, baby!"

"L-Lord Octavio! It is an honor!" Clarence exclaimed, immediately kneeling before him. Morgan and Heather did the same, eliciting a look of surprise from everyone else.  
"Erm… did you need to be so formal?" Katelyn asked.  
"Be quiet! You're standing before the leader of the octarians!" Clarence replied tensely. "He's-"  
"Eh heh… We're already acquainted, you know." Katelyn smiled awkwardly. "If the octarians topside are anything to go by, you don't need to be so uptight."

"Huh, I guess that means these octolings must hail from here!" Octavio said, turning the DJ booth to face the Under-Sea-Dogs. "So… um, you heard the inkling, get up from the ground already, you're embarrassing me!"  
"Y-yes, my lord…" Morgan replied reluctantly, picking himself up from the ground along with his friends.  
"No need to address me as 'Lord' anymore either, I got tired of honorifics like that a long time ago…" Octavio grumbled, twirling a wasabi stick absentmindedly. "So…. any details on these octolings, might I ask?"

"Allow me to answer that question." Eliza said in a stern voice, putting up a stoic expression. "Before I escaped Sector 0, they used to be part of my squad."  
"Eliza?! Oh…. Right, right, nice to see that you're safe." Octavio replied, a nervous look forming on his face. "Okay… I guess as former squadmates, you are well acquainted with them?"  
"Anna, why are you talking so-" Heather began, but immediately stopped herself as Eliza eyed her with a knowing wink. "Ooooh, I see. This is gonna be good…"

"Yes, I am certainly acquainted with them." Eliza continued, "These three are part of a peace-keeping group known as the Under-Sea-Dogs, a team assembled to watch over the domes of Sector 0."  
"Ah, I see. So they're guardians, in a manner of speaking." Octavio nodded, keeping his composure. "They won't hinder the operation?"  
"We have already taken care of that." Eliza replied with a straight face. "They are willing to listen to me, since they are my precious friends. Thus, they are solely on our side, and can be trusted to assist in the rescue operation."

"Okay, I guess that makes it-" Octavio paused midsentence, as ALL of what the octoling said registered in his head. "….erm, did you just say they were your precious friends?"  
"Yes." Eliza replied.  
"You."  
"Affirmative."  
"The octoling that once hogtied and hung an octostriker on a phone pole with his own tentacles just because he hit on you."  
Eliza couldn't keep her stoic composure anymore, and instantly bust out laughing. "Y-yes…. Hahahahaha! Oh, oh man, your expression! That was worth it…. PAHAHAHAHA!"

DJ Octavio looked at the laughing octoling before him as if she had spontaneously grown a second head. All around him, the inklings as well as the other octolings also began to laugh alongside Eliza, mostly at his utterly bewildered expression.  
"…Well, this is surreal. A-anyway, I guess we don't have to worry about any speedbumps in the operation."

Another tremor rocked the elevator shaft, and suddenly the freight elevator creaked ominously, as it began to tilt on one side. Realizing that they were in the middle of an escape, everyone present snapped to attention.  
"Woah! Guess we can discuss your sudden change in personality once we're on solid ground. Everyone, on board! We're ridin' us out of here!" Octavio launched the metal fists on his DJ booth, palms outstretched to let the group climb on.  
"O-oh man, I can't believe we're riding in our leader's royal throne!" Heather exclaimed as she climbed into the vehicle alongside everyone else. "What an experience…"  
"Urgh… it's an experience, alright…" Katelyn groaned, her face going pale as she immediately recalled what happened the last time she and her friends rode in Octavio's vehicle. "You're not forgetting this. For all the wrong reasons…"

"Alright, everyone! We're blasting outta here, FULL FORCE!" Octavio yelled, his tentacles turning dials and flicking levers as he did so. "Hang onto something, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!"  
With a mighty roar, the jet boosters underneath the flying DJ booth erupted, the vehicle blasting off at breakneck speeds as it quickly ascended. Whatever screams the group issued from the sudden acceleration were drowned out by the shrieking of metal, as the entirety of the freight elevator finally gave way and fell apart around them, the pieces falling into the abyss down below.

* * *

"So… how's the express ride out of Smokestack? Fast enough for ya?! GAHAHAHAHA!"  
"Limbs… not working… I think I'm glued to the floor. Hey, is any one of you gonna help me up or what?"

The inklings disembarked haphazardly from Octavio's DJ booth, and onto what remained of the power plant's roof, still dizzy from the abrupt ascent. As they looked around, they realized that the rest of the plant appears to have crumbled into the lava far below, with only the support struts rooted onto the cave ceiling holding it all up.  
The octolings on the other hand didn't far that much better. While Eliza seemed to have been mostly unaffected by the ride, the members of the Under-Sea-Dogs weren't so lucky, and are stuck in various states of vertigo from the trip. Heather was the most unfortunate of the bunch, pinned to the floor by the sudden acceleration and stuck waiting for one of her teammates to peel her off the metallic surface.

"Oh gods… I think I… *urp* don't feeling so good…" Cobalt groaned, tumbling onto the roof as he disembarked. "I think the world's still spinning…"  
Katelyn followed shortly after, collapsing on top of Cobalt into a messy heap. "Agh… S-sorry! Which one's you? There's five of you right there… Bleugh…"  
"At least… I didn't pass out this time…" Mei-Lin moaned, cradling her head as she stumbled off, leaning onto a nearby vent for support. "Everything's… blurry…"

As Chris looked back at the DJ booth, barely making out Eliza picking up Heather through the stars drifting past his vision, he shook his head vigorously in an attempt to throw off his dizziness. It seemed to work somewhat, as his vision began to clear and stopped doing cartwheels before him.  
"Okay…" He mumbled, trying to face Octavio as the seemingly unaffected octarian leader did a few test scratches on his turntable, "We escaped the immediate danger… but now what do we do?"  
"The tremors aren't stopping. But at least we don't have to worry about a potential volcano." Cobalt had managed to untangle himself from the heap and crawled to the edge of the roof for a good view at the wreckage far below. "Doesn't look like the lava's rising any higher."

"We don't have time to stand around." Eliza interrupted. "If Octavio's here now…"  
"Oh right! Marie told us that Octavio was supposed to come here to pick us up out of Sector 0, right?" Katelyn said, dusting off her dress. "So does that mean the rescue operation's about to start?"  
"Well, given the sudden earthquake, we kinda had to get on with that part of the plan ahead of schedule." Octavio briefly looked up at the vents rooted in the ceiling with trepidation. "I wouldn't be surprised if my guys are running ragged right now. We were supposed to just come in and pick up the trapped octarians, but the domes falling apart on us before we even started were definitely not part of the plan."

"T-that's right!" Heather shouted, as Clarence helped her up to her feet. "Sir, I request that you allow us in assisting with the evacuation! As the guardians of Sector 0, it is our responsibility!"  
Octavio turned to look at the octoling, a knowing look in his eyes. "What, you think I'm gonna say no to that?"  
"Oh… That's not what I…"  
"Just get on with it! With the urgency of the mission and all, any extra hands are welcome!" The octarian leader turned to face the inklings as well. "That goes to the four of you as well. If any of you also want to pitch in, I'd gladly take it!"

Mei-Lin turned to face her friends, each one also exchanging glances at one another.  
"So… are we doing this?" She asked.  
It was a foolish question to ask. As Mei-Lin looked closely at everyone else, it was clear to her they all had the same idea already. As the team walked up to the vents, they split up and positioned themselves from the vents they came from, preparing to climb back up towards where they originated.

"I guess that means I'm going with Heather back to that stronghold." Cobalt said, facing the octoling in question. "Need a boost?"  
Heather nodded, climbing up into the vent with his assistance shortly after. The masked inkling followed after her, jumping before gripping onto the ladder within the vent.  
"Alright , see you guys on the other side!" He said, before disappearing from view.

"And… there he goes." Katelyn turned to face the vent that led to the Civilian District, seeing Morgan jump up to the opening and slowly climbing up the ladder. "Eliza, are you coming with me or what?"  
"Me?" The octoling sniper seemed puzzled for a brief moment. "You're already reinforcing Morgan for the rescue mission, I don't have to come with you…"  
"No, not that, silly!" Katelyn immediately went to grab Eliza by the arm and half-dragged her towards the entryway above her. "There are two people that I believe REALLY want to meet you. So you're coming with me, alright?!"  
"W-wait, what?! Shouldn't we at least consult Lord Octavio on the-"  
"No excuses! This is a family matter!"

As Katelyn half-forced Eliza to follow her into the Civilian District vent, Clarence began to climb up the vent into the Grand Library, pausing halfway to look at Chris in the eye.  
"Come on, we should not waste time." He said.  
"Go on ahead." Chris replied. "I'll catch up with you."  
"If you say so…"

"He's right… we shouldn't just stand around here." Mei-Lin said, as she watched Clarence climb up the ladder. "What's on your mind, Chris?"  
"Well…" Chris said, turning to face Mei-Lin. "Katelyn's gone and dragged off Eliza. You don't have an escort back up through Sector 0, so if you want to come with-"

"It's… It's okay." Mei-Lin interrupted. "There's something I want to do in Low Tide Park. Alone."  
"...are you sure about this?" Chris replied, shocked. "It could be dangerous."  
"…I have to do it. It's for my sake." Mei-Lin said forcibly. "Chris. Do you trust me?"

Chris was caught speechless for a moment. There's no mistaking it, Mei-Lin's posture was no longer hunched in pain like before, and while her eyes betrayed her nervousness, there was an aura of determination that definitely wasn't there before.  
He sighed. Nothing he said would likely change her mind.

"Alright." Chris reached for the ladder, but not before turning to face Mei-Lin one last time. "Just… promise me one thing."  
"…what is it?" Mei-Lin asked.  
Sighing, Chris turned away, refusing to make eye contact. "Stay safe. Please."

With that, Chris quickly climbed up the vent towards the Grand Library, catching up with Clarence. Mei-Lin looked down on the ground, deep in thought.  
"Ah, teenage drama! Seems like it happens all the time, especially with Cuttlefish's Agents!" Octavio laughed, abruptly interrupting Mei-Lin's train of thought. "Though I must admit I never tire of seeing two people being awkward towards each other."  
"Everyone's gone now…" She said. "Can you take me up to Low Tide Park? I wanted to accomplish something there alone, but…"  
"I'm sure another express ride's entirely fine. Hop on." Octavio replied dismissively, preparing to take off on his DJ booth. "So… you ready to go?"

Mei-Lin reached for the bandages wrapped around her abdomen, meticulously undoing the bindings before letting them fall from her body, the stained bandaged drifting over the railings and into the lava far below. The wound underneath has fully healed, her exposed flesh no longer stained by auburn ink.  
"…Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

The first thing Cobalt noticed when he climbed out of the vent was that his surroundings were dark.  
Extremely dark.  
In fact, if it weren't for the fact that he could barely make out Heather trying just as hard to see right in front of him, he could've sworn he'd gone blind.

"Gah, can't see a thing!" He grumbled as he got up onto his feet. "What's up with that?"  
"Smokestack's collapsed, remember?" Heather reminded him. "There's no longer any power being fed into the fortress. I bet it's the exact same all over Sector 0."  
"Wonderful." Cobalt groaned, rifling through his pockets. "Oh for- Of all the times I forgot my phone. Where's a flashlight when you need one?!"

"Heather? Heather! Is that you?!" A distant voice cried out from the blackness. "Oh thank the gods! I'm glad you're still alive!"  
"There's still someone here?!" Heather yelled back. "What the blazes are you doing here?! This whole place is coming apart at the seams!"

"That's the thing! Just a few moments ago, this squadron of octarians came down here, accompanied by inklings of all people! They said they were here to rescue us…"  
"Yeah, I know about that part. Shouldn't you be evacuating like the others?!"  
"Well… almost all of us are accounted for, except for three people. I'm aware you were returning to Smokestack some time ago, but there were two octolings that still haven't come to the evacuation point! I volunteered to come back down here to find the unaccounted octarians, but the lights all went out as soon as I came into this room!"

"Alright! I'll see if I can find a flashlight!" Heather scrambled towards the nearest wall, feeling around in the dark with her hands. "I'm sure I stashed one around here somewhere…"  
"You sure you know where everything is?" Cobalt asked, stumbling over a familiar looking wrench thanks to the darkness.  
"Course I do! This is my part of the testing chamber, I know this place like the back of my tentacles. Ah… there we are."

As Heather flicked the switch on the flashlight on, the beam immediately landed on an octocopter that seemed to be approaching them in the dark, likely the source of the voice earlier. As soon as he laid eyes upon Heather, he paused mid-flight.  
"Erm…" The octocopter mumbled, as he looked at Heather, then at the masked inkling behind her, and back again.  
"What?" Heather replied, confused. "Yeah, I changed a bit. Long story."  
"Uh… huh. You changed, alright…" The octocopter's eyes seemed to pop out as they slowly trailed downwards. "Wow."  
"H-hey, don't stare at me like that!" Heather spluttered, her face flushing instantly as she instinctively covered her body with one of her longer tentacles. "I'll explain how I ended up in an octoling's body later! Any clue where those two missing octolings could be?!"

"Hold up." Cobalt interrupted. "Are those two absent octolings named Tai and Aussie by any chance?"  
"Y-yeah, I think so." The octocopter turned to face the masked inkling nervously. "How come you know their names already?"  
"We're… acquainted. I think I have an idea where they might've gone. Quick, follow me!"

"HEY! Don't go running ahead into dark places when there's an earthquake going on! Disaster Awareness 101, dammit!" Heather yelled as she bolted after Cobalt into the darkness with her flashlight in tow, with the octocopter hovering not far behind the duo.

* * *

As Katelyn emerged from the trapdoor on the ground, it didn't take long to hit her that something horribly wrong has happened to the civilian district.

The soft light from the fallen bulb has gone out completely. What seemed like a serene shanty town before now lay partially in ruins, flashlight beams dancing every which way in the far distance. With each upheaval that shook the dome, screams echoed throughout the cavern, intensifying in volume with every tremor. Even from very far away, their frantic voices can be heard all the way where Katelyn emerged.

"The district… no…" Morgan was shaken. His eyes were affixed on the giant bulb that now lay inactive before him, a fallen stalactite impaled into the glass. As Eliza climbed out of the entryway herself, a similar look of shock befell her as she looked around at what she once called her home, now moments from crumbling apart into nothing.

"They're still evacuating… Looks like Lord Octavio was right." Eliza remarked, looking at the silhouettes in the far distance that were illuminated by the beams of light. "...we don't have time to stand around! Let's move!"

As the team advanced upwards along the spiral path, Katelyn saw firsthand the devastating effects the tremors had on the village, as she went past several shanty houses that have collapsed or crushed by fallen rocks. Noticing a couple of the houses were also violently stained with fuchsia, a dreaded feeling began to gnaw away at her gut.

An inkling Agent went past the team, two distraught octotroopers running closely after him. Noticing him, Morgan hollered to catch his attention, stopping the Agent in his tracks.

"W-what are you doing?!" The Agent sputtered, clearly just as shaken as the civilians he was escorting. "I can't stand around! The whole place is coming down on our heads!"  
"I'm sorry, I'll make this quick." Morgan quickly replied. "Have you perchance seen an old looking octoball and this small octotrooper child?"  
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know!" The Agent looked around in panic. "Listen, everything's happening so fast, I was too busy trying to get this whole operation over with! You can't expect me to remember every octarian that's managed to get to the UFOs off the top of my head!"  
"Then what about your headset?!" Eliza cut in, unexpectedly pushing past Morgan with her teeth gritted in desperation. "Radio in, tell them if they've seen anyone that goes by Timmy or Granny!"  
"R-right…" Intimidated by the unusual looking octoling in front of him, the Agent fumbled for his headset, muttering into whoever was listening in on the other end.

"G-Granny?!" One of the octotrooper civilians interrupted. "I think I know where she's gone."  
"Where?!" Katelyn shouted, facing the octarian. "Is she safe?!"  
"I think I overheard someone saying they saw her running back to her house! But… I haven't heard the others mention her since…"  
"T-they just called back." The Agent muttered, looking worriedly at both Morgan and Eliza's expressions. "No octarian that went by those names made it to the evacuation point. They might still be out there somewhere, or…"

Morgan instantly paled. Without another word, he immediately ran towards the direction of Granny's house, pushing past the other evacuees and various Agents in the process.  
"Thanks for the info… get out of here as fast as you can!" Katelyn quickly thanked the Agent, turning to face a shaken Eliza with a determined look. "C'mon, we gotta catch up with Morgan! We'll save those two!"

" _If there's still anything left to save…_ " She thought to herself as she followed Morgan, with Eliza in tow. Noticing the octoling's distraught expression, Katelyn decided not to voice her worries out loud.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I wasn't seeing things! You saw it happen too, right Mark?"  
"Y-yeah…? I think so…?"

Chris pushed the lid on the entry hatch open, the first thing he heard as he touched solid ground being John speaking frantically to a puzzled Clarence. Hearing the entry hatch slam shut behind them, the two Agents and the octoling turned to face him.  
"There you are." Clarence said, motioning Chris to join him. "It would appear something's happened to the Pawn while we were preoccupied."

"What?" Walking past the assembled group, Chris stepped out into the darkened basement archive just beyond, trying to examine the remains of the mysterious creature that they had defeated some time before.  
Only, there were no remains to be seen. Where the body of the monstrous machine that almost ransacked the Great Library was, now lay a misshapen mound of metallic dust. Even as he watched with surprised eyes, the glimmering particles seemed to slowly corrode into a rusty brown before his very eyes.

"I swear! Right after that earthquake hit, that thing just came back to life all of a sudden!" John exclaimed, "Only, that bit with the glowing emblem just detached from it and flew up the stairs! After that, whatever was left just crumbled into pieces!"  
"Did you see where it was going?" Clarence asked. "If that monster did somehow revive itself… we're in big trouble."  
"I-I dunno, it happened so fast." Mark replied. "That pod thing that came out of it looked pretty knackered though. It can't have gone far…"  
"Ugh… Stuck down here for two weeks, forced to fight some weird-ass monster, then an earthquake happens, and now we gotta worry about that THING being somehow still alive and kicking." John mumbled. "First thing I'm gonna do when I return to the surface is to go home and take a LONG nap. Screw this place!"

Chris paused to ponder to himself for a moment, thinking back to how the Pawn seemingly devoured all the residual energy that was in the entire building with just one gulp. If that mysterious machine is indeed reactivated somehow, they cannot allow it to escape into Octo Velley. It would appear their escape plan would have to be postponed for the time being…  
"We got no choice. We'll have to track it down." Clarence said, beating Chris to the punch on vocalizing his opinion. "So, it went up the stairs?"  
"I believe that's what he said." Chris interjected, only now noticing the tremors around him were considerably weaker compared to back down in Smokestack, but there was still an ominous creaking of metal echoing somewhere far above them. "Hmm… I reckon we've got ample time to deal with that thing before we leave, but we should still be cautious."  
"Captain Cuttlefish already told us they're sending a UFO to pick us up." Mark said. "It shouldn't be long until it arrives. Let's get out of this basement."

As the combined group navigated the maze of fallen crates and flickering displays, eventually reaching the stairway leading out of the basement archives, Chris immediately noticed drag marks along the walls that weren't there before. Whatever created them had to most likely be moving at a particularly high velocity.  
"Looks like it left in a hurry." Chris said absentmindedly. "Reckon it knows the whole place is coming down on us?"  
"…It's a robot. How would it know what self-preservation is?" Mark replied, puzzled.  
"I dunno, it was awfully lively for a robot." John said. "Guess whatever made it stuffed an AI in it or something."

Going up the stairway, the team suddenly heard a muffled female voice in the distance, calling out to them.  
"Hellooooo? Agents? I can hear your footsteps! Your ride's here! Come on out already!"

"That's gotta be it! HEEEY! We're down here!" Mark shouted excitedly, leaping up the steps two at a time.  
"H-hey, WAIT!" John yelled back, arms flailing as he attempted to catch up. "THE FRONT DOOR! LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN!"

The two Agents reached the top of the stairs, spectacularly tripping over the uppermost step and faceplanted in tandem, sliding a few feet from the basement stairway. Chris walked out shortly after, smirking internally at the sight of the two inklings groaning in pain on the ground, while an unfamiliar elite octoling stared agape at their unexpected entrance.  
"Uhh…. hello? My name's Rachel…?" The octoling commander introduced herself. "I'm one of the two octolings in charge of the rescue operation. You two can still talk, right?"  
"Never mind how I'm doing…" John groaned, his face still flat on the dusty floor. "Is the door…?"  
"Relax, if I didn't act on intel that was relayed to me, I wouldn't have gotten a job as a soldier in the first place. I've jammed the exit wide open. See?" Rachel replied with amusement, pointing backwards at the main entrance. The reinforced door is being held open with what looks like a cheap store brand doorstop.  
"Oh thank the gods." John didn't get up from his position, presumably too relieved to move.

"Pardon the interruption, but I believe we have more urgent matters on our minds right now." Clarence said, pushing past the group and meeting the octoling commander eye to eye. "Rachel, is it? You wouldn't happen to have seen something fly out of this stairway, have you?"  
"O-oh!" The octoling commander seemed to be taken aback at the sight of Clarence, flushing ever so slightly. "Um… I don't think so, but I definitely heard a loud bang as I approached the Grand Library. Is there a problem?"  
"There is. If you have been informed of what has transpired here, you should be aware of a machine known as the Pawn that we and these two Agents were forced to confront. I can't say for certain, but we believe it might still be alive, and still in the general vicinity. We can't let that creature escape this dome!"  
"Wait, you mean that thing that sucked out three Zapfish's worth of energy all in one go? That's definitely not good... I still couldn't believe it when Octavio relayed it to me." Rachel fumbled through her equipment pouches, withdrawing something that resembled a portable scanner. "Okay, I should be able to track it if that thing is emitting such a high energy signature. Let's see…. It is-"

The octoling commander's eyes abruptly widened in shock. She quickly looked up from the display, staring into the darkened ceiling.  
"Oh crap! That monster! IT'S RIGHT ABOVE US!"

Alarm spread instantly throughout the group. Realizing what was coming next, Chris and the others immediately vacated where they were standing, as something far above them seemed to loosen its grip and plummet straight towards the group. A long crash swiftly followed, a violent shockwave shaking the very foundations of the library and causing some of the already crumbling stairways and floors to collapse into rubble. Right at the same time, a shriek of white noise tore through everyone's communication devices, the unholy sound disorienting everyone's senses.

As the dust from the aftermath lingered in the air, a piercing blue light seemed to shine straight through the cloud. The all too familiar serpentine body of the Pawn revealed itself as it bellowed, sweeping the swirling dust clouds aside, and the monstrosity's gaze fixated solely on a dumbstruck Chris.

" **THE EARTH… IT TREMBLES. CHAOS… IN THE AIR… I RETURN…FROM THE BRINK…** " The Pawn's voice crackled through everyone's headsets, its words piercing through the thick blanket of white noise. " **FACE ME… CHILDREN OF THE SEA!** "

* * *

The tremors are affecting the entirety of Sector 0, but none of the domes are comparing to Low Tide Park in severity. Already falling apart due to a lack of maintenance, the buildings crumbled instantly as showers of metal plates and sky panels landed on them, tumbling down like a house of cards in a stiff breeze.  
Right before the power station that led to Smokestack, a trail of fuchsia ink can still be seen trailing from the door all the way to the nearest cliff side, although it was already slowly fading away by the minute. It was all that remained of Eliza's most recent rampage against a gang of octarian ruffians, the outcome seemingly fatal to the latter.  
But had an observer stepped up towards the edge and peered down the cliff's edge, the trail would have told a different story. Not far down below where the landmass ended, the ruffians in question were dangling precariously on a hook, tied up in place by the ropes they bought with them and laying suspended from the deadly drop far below them.

"The sky's falling! Everything's comin' down on us!" One of the tied up octotroopers yelled hysterically. "Oh gods, have mercy on us!"  
"Quit kicking like that, you're gonna make us fall!" Another one shouted, his eyes pointed straight down. "I can't even see the bottom…"  
"Why did I ever agree to this business… I never would've joined up if I knew this was gonna happen to me! I miss the civilian district…"  
"Bob! Big Al can hear you! Be quiet!"  
"Blergh… don't argue so loudly…" A third octotrooper groaned, having the misfortune to be tied upside down. "All my internal liquids are going to my head…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU, QUIETEN DOWN!"  
All three octotroopers immediately stopped their squabbling, looking at the octobomber they were all tied to. Big Al was glaring back with a look that could've easily stopped an inkstrike midflight. Withering from their boss's glare, the octotroopers fell silent, shivering from the prospect of their inevitable demise.

Another tremor shook the dome, and this time a particularly large stalactite was dislodged from the ceiling. Crashing onto a floating island in the distance, a piercing boom echoed throughout the dark space as the stalactite made contact with it. Before the octarian's very eyes, the island rapidly disintegrated before their very eyes, fractures appearing every which way before it all came apart, and taking all the buildings and park attractions built on the island with it. As the pieces of rock and the withering park attractions plunged into the darkness, they never even made any sound.

"Enjoying the view, boys?" Big Al grumbled in a pragmatic manner. "To think… these old stomping grounds of ours were our paradise once upon a time. Now, it's all coming apart at the seams. To think I believed once upon a time it was a living…"

The octobomber sighed, and his underlings looked at one another. It was unusual to see their boss acting in a retrospective manner.

"…it's truly a surprise how much can change in the span of a day. Humiliated by that octoling, left hung to dry by that harlot, now the world's coming apart all around us." Big Al said, as he watched the rocks fall past him. "To think it would all end like this. Inconceivable."

The octobomber looked up towards the cliff's edge, sneering in a tired manner.  
"And now YOU'VE come back here. What, are you here to gloat or somethin'?"

The octotroopers tied to him followed their boss's gaze out of curiosity. Standing right above them, Mei-Lin was staring straight back down, an indescribable expression on her face.

"…"

* * *

"I can't believe playing the part of operator had to be so tough! Arrgh, I'd much rather be doing shifts in Walleye Warehouse than this!"  
"Keep it together, Callie! We definitely can't afford to fail our Agents down there!"

The mood in the operating room is a frantic one. Callie and Marie were running from console to console, juggling between processing the chaotic deluge of radio chatter coming in on practically every channel and consoling the Agents that were on the verge of breaking down from the stress. Captain Cuttlefish assisted by ogling the console that was reading the declining condition of Sector 0 in real time, barking occasional orders that the Squid Sisters relayed to the Agents, but even between the three of them they were spread dangerously thin for the operation.

"Blistering barnacles! I hadn't had to work this hard ever since I was drafted as Captain back in the Great Turf War!" Cuttlefish grumbled loudly, eyes darting from reading to reading. "Blasted earthquake, picked a bad time to intrude, it did!"  
"Sorry we made you help too, Gramps!" Marie apologized, looking up from the console. "We got our hands full keeping the Agents' morale high. We can't watch EVERY screen at once!"  
"Well, I demand compensation after this mission!" Cuttlefish replied, tapping his cane. "Ten crabby cakes!"  
"Five."  
"Seven!"  
Marie snapped her fingers. "Deal."

"How's the recon team doing so far?" Callie asked, "If Octavio's pulled through, they should be out of that geothermal plant by now."  
"He's pinged back already. They've split up to assist the rescue team." Marie clarified. "Hopefully we'll see them soon among the returning Agents."

"Well, they better get on with it. They don't have much time left." Cuttlefish said, eyes narrowing at the console display. Specifically, at a slowly declining number.

 **Sector integrity: 54%... 53%... 52.5%...  
Collapse imminent…**

* * *

 **AN: The original chapter is too long, so it has been cut in half. Expect the other half by tomorrow... or at least within the week!**


	36. Ascension (Part 2)

**Ascension (Part 2)**

* * *

"…and that's the gist of it. I'm already seeing a few UFOs returning on this side."  
"Alright, thanks for the info, Callie. How are the others doing?"

Cobalt ran down the winding corridors as fast as his legs can carry him, Heather and the octocopter that found them following closely behind. As he tried his best to retrace the path he took during the chase a few hours earlier, he had one hand on his headset, communicating with the Squid Sisters on the current situation.

"I'm picking up their signals from all the other domes, so your teammates made it to their respective locations safely." Callie's voice replied. "Something's interfering with the camera feed though, so I can't make out the finer details from the readings I'm getting here… though I'm picking up a particularly large energy signature coming from Chris's side. Dunno what that's about, but at least everyone's still alive."

"Well, that's all I need to know, really. Cheers." Cobalt said, before he hung up. As he surveyed his surroundings for the umpteenth time, he recognized a familiar stairway down the corridor in the distance, along with a pile of upturned cardboard boxes. Realizing that he was at the fork where he had split up with Tai, he continued down the other corridor.  
"Those two octolings went down this path, I think." Cobalt clarified. "I dunno where they went after that, so keep your eyes peeled."  
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Heather replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Urgh… I can't believe we had to go look for them ourselves. The nerve of them! You'd think that they'd be the first ones to rally the octarians here and get them to the evacuation point!"  
"I mean… I suppose one of them doesn't need an explanation." Cobalt mumbled, thinking back to how nonchalant Tai was when he first met her. Laziness was one thing, but that woman was rather laid back even in the face of obvious danger. "But the other one… Aussie, I think? You got me there."  
"She was the complete opposite compared to that laid back one. It doesn't seem like her to be absent." The octocopter following them said. "She might've gotten in trouble…"

Abruptly, the group heard a banging noise not too far beyond them. Shortly after, a familiar voice echoed down the cracked walls.  
"Hellooooo?! Is anyone out there?!" Tai's voice shouted. "I could use a little help here?"

Nodding to one another, the three immediately picked up their pace, eventually stopping before a closed sliding door with 'Storage Room B' engraved on its metal surface. The frame was bent and warped, most likely as a result of the tremors.

"Tai? Is that you?" Cobalt yelled back, "You alright? Where's Aussie?"  
"About time! You know, it's rude to keep a girl waiting." Tai sighed. A single eye peeked through a small gap between the door and the frame, rolling exasperatedly. "If you're looking for 'knickers in a twist' Aussie, she's in here. She's kind of incapacitated though…"  
"How badly is she hurt?"  
"Well, for one thing she's out cold. It would've been a cinch for me to yank the door open if she wasn't. Are you gonna help me or what?"  
"Well, we DO have an octoling here with us." Cobalt looked at Heather, giving her a nod. "C'mon, we'll get the door open. We gotta get out, ASAP!"  
"Just so you know, you owe me for this." Heather remarked, putting both hands on the handle. "Heheh, this irresponsible octoling needing MY help. I'm going to relish this…"  
"Alright, you ready Heather?" Cobalt shouted, wedging his fingers into the gap and gripping tightly. "Ready, and… PULL!"

With a combined grunt of effort, the two pulled the sliding door open with as much effort as they could muster. The door quickly slid open, with Tai walking out of the darkness beyond the room and slinging an unconscious Aussie over one shoulder.

Two things immediately caught Cobalt's eye as they emerged from the room. Tai was carrying a hefty iron pipe with a small fuchsia stain at the end in her free hand that wasn't carrying Aussie. There was also a comically large bump that seemed to have blossomed on the unconscious octoling's head…

"…Oh. Erm…" Tai faltered briefly at Cobalt's amused gaze, casually lobbing the pipe back into the room where it hit the floor with a resounding 'CLANG'. "…let's just say she had to be put to bed for a while. Don't worry, I'm sure I didn't do any permanent damage. Probably."

"Well, now that we've found the two of you, let's get out of here." Heather said, trying not to smirk at the sight of the unconscious octoling as she hefted her over her own shoulder as well. "C'mon, I'll carry this side."  
"Lead the way." Cobalt said, turning to face their octocopter escort. "I believe it's about time we hitched a ride outta here."  
"You don't have to tell me twice!" The octocopter replied, as another tremor shook the building, and alarmingly the entire corridor seemed to shift slightly. "Let's go!"

As the combined group began their sprint, Cobalt heard an ominous rumbling noise behind them. Turning briefly to look, he was shocked to see the corridor fracture at the seams, and collapse entirely. Had they not managed to reach the stairway a few minutes earlier, they would've fallen into the bottomless pit along with the rest of the basement. The band quickly ran up the stairs, hearing the sounds of gathered octarians in the far distance.  
" _This just isn't my day…_ " He thought to himself, as he ran for his life.

* * *

"Morgan, SLOW DOWN!" Katelyn yelled, desperately vaulting off a roof onto solid ground. "I'm… *huff* I can't keep up!"  
"It's no use, Katelyn." Eliza said, steadying herself as another tremor ripped through the dome. "Morgan's pretty set on looking after the civilians here, especially Timmy and Granny. If those two are in danger, I don't think we're reasoning with him."  
"He can't just leave us behind like this, though! No way in hell he's managing this alone!" Katelyn yelled, elbowing past a crowd of panicked Agents. "If anyone's gonna be rescuing those two, it's gotta be me!"  
"Steady on, it's not a competition. Just why are you so desperate to be the one to save them?"

Katelyn abruptly stopped in her tracks, her hand held close to her chest. Biting her lip, she looked in the direction of Timmy and Granny's shack.  
"Timmy…. He called me 'Big Sis'. That's… that's it." She said, forcing a smile as she looked at Eliza. "Stupid reason, isn't it?"  
"…oh." The octoling couldn't bear to meet Katelyn's sad gaze. "…How long was I gone?"  
"…too long. I guess it was for the best that Timmy's such an innocent child." Trying her best to shelve her emotions for the time being, Katelyn gave Eliza the biggest smile she could muster. "C'mon, _Anna_. I think it's about time we reunited the family."  
"Yeah…" The octoling nodded, as she returned the smile with one of her own.

A sudden powerful tremor rocked the dome, and alarmingly the center of the civilian direction caved in, the broken bulb crumbling into the newly formed chasm. The screams of desperation echoing throughout the entire dome seemed to amplify in volume, drowning out the sound of the earthen spiral road slowly collapsing into the bottomless pit along with the buildings on top of them.

"ACK! Now's not the time to be sentimental!" Katelyn quickly turned to face Eliza. "Change forms and hop into my arms, quick! I'm getting us there ASAP!"

Taken aback by the dome's gradual collapse, the octoling decided to just comply, switching into octopus form and hopped into Katelyn's outstretched arms.  
"I would assume you plan to do something that requires a mobility that I do not have?" Eliza asked, peering downwards at Katelyn's footwear. "…to think I used to wear those skates once."  
"Well, I'm putting them to good use right this instant! HANG ON TIGHT!"

With a determined yell, Katelyn skated upwards the slope at full speed, with Eliza in tow. Rushing past crumbling rocks and buildings, sidestepping and weaving around panicked civilians and operatives, occasionally taking a shortcut via a fallen ramp, the inkling made her way up towards the edge of the civilian district, towards where Granny's house was, never once taking her eyes off her destination.

The journey wasn't a long one. Eventually, Katelyn reached the stretch of road where Granny's house was located, only to find a small gathering of octarians and stray inkling Agents gathered around the front entrance and- to her horror- a fallen boulder fallen onto the front half of the house. The slab of rock had plowed right through the corrugated steel, utterly demolishing it and denying entry to anyone trying to get in through the front.

"N-no…" Katelyn was shocked at the sight, but Eliza was the first to spring into action, slipping out of her arms, switching back into octoling form in the process and running straight for the crowd.  
Catching up with her, Katelyn could see that in the forefront of the gathering, an exhausted Morgan was pressed right up at the boulder, desperately trying to move the obstruction out of the way. Unfortunately, despite the combined efforts of the octarians, it hasn't budged in the slightest.  
"Morgan!" Eliza cried out. The crowd briefly dispersed, as they let the octoling past. "I need a status report. How… how's Timmy and Granny?"  
"Not good. They're still in there, but we can't get in because of this blasted rock!" Winded, Morgan turned to look back towards the obstruction, yelling. "HEY! Keep talking! I need to make sure the two of you are still alive!"

"Still breathing!" Granny's voice replied, "This old lady isn't ready to leave this world just yet!"  
"M-Morgan…" Timmy's voice faintly emitted from beyond. "I-I'm scared… what is happening?"  
"Hang in there, kiddo! We'll get you out! I promise!" Morgan cursed under his breath, hammering the rock with his fists. "Dammit… even with this stronger body… if only we still had our machines!"

"There's gotta be something we can do!" Katelyn yelled desperately, pushing past the crowd of octarians. "Think, Katelyn, think… What about the windows?"  
"There's one on the other side of the building… but only the octocopters could reach it." Morgan replied. "They're not strong enough to break through the glass… and even if we got them out that way, there's nothing below but a sheer drop. What are we supposed to do?"

A silence befell the crowd for a moment, before Eliza spoke up.  
"The extraction UFOs. If we can get one right outside the window…"  
"…then we can both get them in and out safely, and just whisk them away in an instant!" Katelyn finished, a look of realization dawning on her face. "You're a genius!"  
"W-we'll call for one!" An octotrooper amongst the crowd called out. "C'mon lads, we don't have much time!"  
The other octarian civilians nodded in agreement, and bolted towards the extraction point as fast as their legs/propellers/rotund bodies can carry them.  
"Looks like we'll be cutting it close…" Katelyn said, looking into the distance. Already, half the district has crumbled away into the abyss, and it wouldn't be much longer before it reaches them. "C'mon..."

Precious seconds passed. Katelyn watched nervously as word started to spread among the Agents. It would appear the evacuation was nearing completion, so some are already making a hasty retreat. The groups of evacuating civilians and inkling escorts began to thin in number.  
A crackle suddenly went through on her headset. Katelyn rushed to pick up the call.  
"Heya!" An unfamiliar voice called out. "Are you with the team trying to get the two trapped civilians out of that house?"  
"Y-yeah! That's us!" Katelyn spluttered. "Who's this?"  
"I'm the pilot for one of the rescue UFOs, and I'm on route towards your location! Keep the line open, I'm homing in onto your signal!"

Immediately after, Katelyn could see it. A large UFO, just marginally bigger in size to the house in diameter soared overhead, leaving a slight breeze in its wake. It hovered overhead as it circled in spirals, homing in on their position, before it came to a dead stop by the cliff side and docking before the assembled team.  
"Those civilians already gave me the lowdown!" The pilot continued. "Climb aboard, lads! Once those two civvies are out, we're soaring outta here!"

"No time to waste! Let's go!" Katelyn said to Eliza and Morgan, the three climbing on top of the UFO. The flying vehicle started to move, pulling some distance away from the edge of the cliff before it circled round, and stopping underneath the window of the house. It was rather small in size, but it was wide enough to allow a singular inkling entry inside.

"Alright, I want one of you to get inside and rescue Timmy and Granny." Eliza commanded. "This UFO isn't very stable. I'll have to stay out here to help them get on board once they're out of there."  
Katelyn wasted no time giving an acknowledgement. Brandishing her Inkbrush, she took a heavy swing at the window and shattering the glass panes. Grabbing hold of the frame, she slid in feet first, straight into the partially ruined house.  
Immediately after her entry, she realized she was in pain. A shard of broken glass had scraped her arm on the way in, and a trickle of lavender was trailing from the wound, dripping silently onto the cold floor. Her mind occupied with the wellbeing of those octarians that sheltered her however, she quickly banished the feeling of pain surging from her injury, desperately looking around for any sign of them.

The earthquake had done a number on the house. Lights had fallen from the ceiling, littering the ground with broken glass. Shelves and drawers had collapsed and its contents spilled out, devices and contraptions scattered in broken sparking heaps here and there. Parts of the roof had even caved in, no doubt thanks to the boulder that had fallen in the front of the house.

"B-BIG SIS!"

Katelyn snapped to attention from her shocked stupor, and instinctively turned at the source of the voice. Timmy was standing at the far end of the small room, held in place by fear.  
"Timmy! Thank goodness!" Katelyn immediately went to the terrified child octotrooper's side, calming him with a tight hug. "It's alright. I'm here. Let's get out of here."  
"We- we can't go! Granny is... is…"  
"What's wrong?"

"You've sure taken your time, Katelyn." A familiar voice said from a dark corner of the room. "Now be a dear and… urgh… get this off me, would you?"  
The inkling was shocked by what she saw. Granny was alive, but only barely. A shelf had fallen on top of the elderly octoball, pinning her in place.  
She was internally shaken. But with Timmy looking at her worriedly, she tried her best not to let it show on her face. "…I'll, I'll try! Hang in there!"

There wasn't much time left, and Katelyn could feel it. The ground she stood on began to tremble, growing in intensity by the second. The collapse of the dome cannot be too far away.  
"Katelyn?! What is taking so long?!" Morgan's voice crackled through her headset. "The cliff's crumbling! You barely have minutes left!"  
"I'm… trying!" Katelyn gritted her teeth, putting all her strength into her back. But the shelf was heavier than she anticipated, undoubtedly due to the furniture being made out of solid steel. "This thing…. Too… heavy!"  
"That doesn't sound good… hey, Anna? ANNA!"

An unexpected pair of arms appeared beside Katelyn's, grabbing hold on the shelf. At the same time, an exceptionally long tentacle also rammed into it, granting extra leverage.  
"What the?!" Katelyn faltered for a moment, and turned to her side. Eliza was there, using both her arms as well as the unusually long tentacle to hold up the shelf.  
"I just cannot wait any longer out there. Stay focused!" The octoling yelled. "Katelyn!"  
"R-right! C'mon, one last push together…. NOW!"

With a combined yell, both Katelyn and Eliza lifted the steel shelf off of Granny. The octoball rolled out of the way slowly, before the two let go of the shelf and sent it crashing down.  
"Ah… I must thank you, miss- Oh…!" Granny stopped in the middle of getting up. It seemed her singular eye was focused on the octoling that saved her.  
"W-what's wrong?" Eliza stammered, unable to make eye contact. "Come on, we have to leave!"

The elderly octoball's age seemed to have caught up all at once. Her eye was staring straight at Eliza, more specifically, the necklace that was hanging around her neck.  
"A….Anna… Oh my… Never in my wildest dreams…" Granny croaked. "Look at you… you've changed so much…"  
"G-Granny, we… we can't stay!" Eliza was uncharacteristically aghast. "We must go!"  
"I've waited so long… I wondered if you would ever return…" Granny was in the verge of tears. "Even if your body has changed…. You're still Anna inside. Oh… I can leave this world without regrets…"

"OH NO YOU DON'T!"

Katelyn quickly helped up Granny from the floor, before giving her a stern glare. "No way am I going to let you die now after all this! You and Anna are going to spend some quality time together once we rescue you and Timmy, and you're going to LIKE IT!"  
"….yes… yes, you are correct." Granny stumbled briefly, but she seemed to have recovered somewhat from the shock. "There's one last thing to do before we leave. I was trying to find the blueprints for the sprinkler system before we left, but I got pinned down by that shelf. Help me find them, they should be close by."  
"Is this it?" Eliza sifted through the pile of debris close to the fallen shelf, withdrawing a set of bundled up blueprints.  
"Yes, that's it. Let us go!"

Eliza went on ahead, coercing a confused Timmy to come with her.  
"I'm… sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." Katelyn apologized, watching the octarians leave through the window. "How are we going to explain it all to Timmy? Anna's not even an octosniper anymore."  
"I'm sure he'll understand. That boy is more insightful that you would realize." Granny replied. "For now, I'll just be glad the family is back together once more."  
"Yeah… you're right. Come on, the UFO's waiting outside."

The next few moments passed by in a blur. With Katelyn's help, Granny made it on board the UFO, ready to escape along with the others. She never once looked back, even to see the family's old home finally give way to the gradual destruction and crumble into the abyss along with the rest of the civilian district.

* * *

Chris jumped, as far as his legs could carry him, hiding behind a pile of mossy bricks. Barely a second later, a blast of energy impacted where he was, leaving nothing but a smoldering patch.

It was practically inevitable that the current battle would be just as one-sided as before. The Pawn had chased everyone out of the Grand Library, now nothing more than a barely flickering pile of debris thanks to the tremors. Chris, Clarence, the Agents, and now their octoling escort, are all scattered in the abandoned streets outside of the library, desperately trying not to be flattened, or worse, incinerated.  
His heart pounding, Chris tried to take a peek at the source of the carnage. The Pawn was finally using the gatling guns on its arms, and to the group's bewilderment blasts of pure energy came out of the barrels rather than regular projectiles. The bolts carried a tremendous amount of energy, ripping straight through the weakened walls of the abandoned buildings around them like they were made of paper. Almost possessed by a feral mania, the monstrosity was thrashing about at random, reducing a tenth of the buildings in the surrounding area to dust in a matter of moments.

"Well, that blasted thing's certainly learned a trick or two!" Mark yelled, huddled behind a steel wall close by. "I guess it's finally remembered that it brought guns to the party!"  
"This isn't good." Clarence muttered, ducking as an energy bolt sailed over his head. "If I still had my harpoon, I could have made an attempt to fight this beast. But even if it hadn't been destroyed, that firepower's making it too dangerous to get up close."

The mechanical monstrosity lunged straight towards the pile of bricks that Chris was sheltered behind, its jaws opened wide. His eyes widening from shock, Chris leapt aside from the charge. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the Pawn's metallic maw reduce the bricks into ground up bits.

"So how are supposed to destroy it this time?" Chris mumbled, backing off into a rundown tavern and huddling behind a counter. "I'm open to suggestions."  
"I'm trying to reach Agent 1 and 2, but all I'm getting is white noise." Mark added. "I've no idea how it's doing it, but it's jamming our signal!"  
"Then that means we'll have to resolve this on our own." Clarence said, crouching down right next to Chris. "…that being said, where is the other Agent and our octoling guest?"

Chris dared to sneak a peek out of one of the many windows, peering through a crack in the glass. Just across the street, John and Rachel were hiding in an alcove, out of sight of the marauding machine.  
"Not too far. C'mon, we have to regroup."

Alarmingly, a singular glowing blue eye filled Chris's vision. Realizing that the monstrosity has found them, Chris bolted for the nearest doorway, just as it plowed straight through the window all the way to the other wall, causing the building to crumble into pieces. Mark and Clarence were able to scramble through the same doorway before the entire building came down on their heads, but the collapsing structure doesn't appear to have hampered the Pawn either.

Desperately, Mark pulled out his Hero Shot, taking a few pot shots at the beast. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the exact same effect as the last time the team fought it, which is to say all it did was aggravate it. Clarence was able to pull the panicking Agent out of harm's way before it retaliated, punching another hole in a building and disappearing into the ensuing dust cloud.

"That machine's tenacious, I'll give it that." Clarence said, running for the opposite side of the street to reunite with the Agent and the octoling commander. "Don't bother shooting it. Ink's only good for pissing it off."  
"Well what else am I supposed to do?!" Mark yelled. "Everyone's stuck using ink weapons!"  
"…I already miss my harpoon. Hurry, we'll discuss this once we regroup."

Chris could merely follow Clarence's guidance. Watching as the octoling started talking to Rachel and discussing strategies, he was somewhat envious that he couldn't take charge of the situation. Noticing that the sounds of destruction seem to have faded somewhat, he decided to take part in the tactics meeting by listening in. Trying to stay hidden, they tried their best to keep their voices down.  
"Ink isn't working, huh…?" Rachel said, thinking. "That's… not good."  
"Yes, that does put beings like us at a disadvantage." Clarence replied, shaking his head. "But we have confirmed that despite its seemingly impervious nature it isn't invincible. We've already defeated it once."  
"Really? How?"  
"Clarence managed to impale it with a giant harpoon. One stab in the chest, then one stab in the head. That was enough to bring it down." Mark clarified, before sighing. "At least, we THOUGHT it was enough."

Chris suddenly remembered something. "Hey… John, didn't you say you saw some pod thing fly out of the basement before that thing came back?"  
"Yeah… I did." John replied, puzzled. "Why did you ask?"  
"…I don't think we've properly killed it." Chris tried to recall the outcome of their last battle. "I think… when Clarence stabbed it, he merely used the torso of that machine as leverage, and used all his force to impale the head. That disabled it-"  
"…but it didn't actually destroy it! That pod you mentioned, it must be its core!" Rachel managed to come to the same conclusion that Chris did. "So… we gotta destroy that part with the weird emblem utterly. But how are we going to take it down without some kind of sharp object?"

Clarence tilted his head upwards, gazing at the ceiling of the dome. Stalactites dot the very top of the cavern, and rather notably a good handful appear to have hairline cracks running down their bases.  
"…we might just have to improvise." He concluded. "Rachel, where did you park your UFO?"  
"It should be up at the train station." The octoling commander replied. "You need it for something?"  
"We'll need to set a trap. One decisive blow through its chest should be enough to permanently destroy it. If we can dislodge a stalactite right on top of it…"  
"Sounds good. But that thing's bound to notice if the UFO takes off. We'll need someone to act as a distraction. So who's going to volunteer…?"

The octolings turned to look at the inklings. Immediately, Mark and John both crossed their arms and shook their heads desperately.  
"ACK! Count me out!" John gibbered. "I'm not about to become snake chow!"  
"Me neither!" Mark added. "Chris, what about you?! That thing seems to have taken an interest towards you!"

"Wait, really?" Chris was shocked.

As Chris's memory raced back once more, he realized that Mark might actually have a point. The Pawn definitely knew him somehow, and all this time it seemed to be attacking him with much more frequency than the others, as if it were fixated on him for some unexplainable reason. Perhaps…  
"…Okay." Chris nodded. "I'll do it. I'll try and get its attention."

The others nodded, and began slowly approaching the UFO as quietly as they could, discussing their part of the plan along the way. As they disappeared around a corner, Chris steeled himself, and jogged straight out of the alleyway into the middle of the cracked street.

"HEY!" Chris yelled, as loudly as he could. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! COME ON OUT!"

A nearby building collapsed, and the Pawn rushed straight out of the dust cloud, coiling into a spiral before it faced Chris, boring into him with its frightening gaze.

" **THE CHOSEN… EMERGES… FROM THE SHADOWS.** " A voice began to hiss through Chris's headset. Despite the muffled voice coming through the speakers, the sibilant hiss that accompanied every word sent shivers running down his back. " **YOUR… ACCOMPLICES… GONE?** "

"Y-yes." Chris replied. He tried his best to keep himself calm, but inside his mind his thoughts were racing. Why hasn't this creature devoured him on the spot?

" **NO MORE… INTERFERENCES. EARS ON THE WALLS. SILENCE.** " Another hiss rasped through the speakers. " **TRULY, YOU ARE… THE 'BYSTANDER'. DISCONNECTED… FEARFUL…** "

"Bystander…?" Chris slowly backed away. If it isn't planning on attacking him, he just has to keep this creature 'talking' to focus its attention on him. "What are you talking about?"

" **YOU CANNOT ESCAPE… YOUR PAST. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE… YOUR FATE.** " It took every bit of willpower Chris had to not run from the sound of its voice. " **FROM EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE CONCEIVED… YOUR DESTINY… IS SET IN STONE.** "

From the corner of his eye, Chris could've sworn he saw something move upwards. Has the team made it? Or was his nervousness making him see things that aren't there?  
"I don't understand." The inkling said. "We only set out to restore Splatfests. Why are you opposing us?"

A rush of static tore through his head. Chris was definitely thrown off by the sound. It almost felt like laughter.  
" **'SPLATFESTS'? SUCH A STRANGE INFLECTION. THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT… HOW NOSTALGAIC.** " The robotic voice seemed to carry a tone somehow. Mocking? " **COLORED LIGHTS. MUSIC. ENCHANTING… YET… INSIGNIFICANT. RESTORATION… IS MISGUIDED…** "

"You… you know about the Splatfests?!" Chris couldn't conceal his surprise. Not only is this machine aware of the festival, it somehow knew that Chris along with his team were on a quest to restore them. A machine, that appears to have spent years buried away in this forgotten corner underground.

" **A STORY… REQUIRES… ADVERSARIES.** " The serpentine robot's maw somehow curled into a leer. " **IT WOULD BE… SIMPLISTIC… TO SNUFF OUT YOU LIGHT… THIS MOMENT. BUT…MY PURPOSE…IS MERELY TO IMPEDE… NOTHING MORE.** "

The Pawn seemed to approach Chris, the inkling backing away a few more steps in terror. He had half a mind to pull out his Dual Squelchers and fight back. But then, the Pawn seemed to stop, snarling.

" **ALAS… IT IS NOT WITHIN MY RIGHT… TO DIVULGE MUCH FURTHER. IT WOULD APPEAR… THE INTERFERENCE… HAS RETURNED.** " The Pawn's eyes seemed to narrow as it peered upward. " **I BID YOU... SAYONARA… ONE OF THE FOUR. MAY WE… MEET… ONCE AGAIN.** "

Without warning, a stalactite fell right on top of the machine, piercing it straight through its chest. A screeching bellow came from the Pawn as it writhed in agony, and simultaneous the exact same wail of sound ripped straight through Chris's headset, forcing him to take them off.  
Right before his eyes, the Pawn's body seemed to disintegrate rapidly. First its long body crumbled into metallic particles, followed by the arms, and the head. The core was the last piece to crumble, the emblem flickering erratically, before it too also turned into dust, plunging the area around it into complete darkness. A blue vapor seemed to seep from the pile as the light faded, before it too dissipated into nothing as if it were never there.

"BOOYAH! We got 'em!"  
Chris looked up. The UFO flew down until it met his level, the rest of the group standing atop the flying vehicle.  
"You… you killed it." Chris was much too dumbfounded to say much more.  
"Yep, we did! Use the Splat Bombs to dislodge the stalactites, to impale a robot serpent just below it! Sounds like something out of an adventure game!" John exclaimed. "I like it!"  
"I dunno how you did it, but that thing was just staring at you the whole time!" Mark added, "We should nickname you 'snake charmer' once we get upside!"

"Now that was something to see!" Rachel's voice said from inside the UFO. "I'm not getting any interference in the airwaves. That thing's definitely gone. Get on board, we're going on an express ride straight to the surface!"  
Chris nodded. "…Oh. Right."

As Chris climbed aboard, he steadied himself as the UFO took off. As his current companions cheered each other on their victory, he blanked out their voices, his mind still dwelling on the events that transpired. Why had the Pawn acted the way it did? Why did it tell him that much?

For a few precious moments, it was as if Chris glimpsed the abyss that the creation myths had mentioned. Behind this seemingly unremarkable quest, a greater darkness lurked, just out of reach.

" _It looks like…_ " He thought to himself, as he watched the entire island that contained the Grand Library slowly disappear under an avalanche of rubble. " _This quest of ours isn't going to be as simple as I thought…_ "

* * *

"…"

Mei-Lin's breath caught in her throat, her speech deserting her. There was so much she wanted to say, but she felt that she couldn't find the words for them.  
There they are. The octarians that had made her stay in Sector 0 a traumatic one. She had suspected it when she saw Eliza's true colors emerge, but now the proof lay before her very eyes.

The octoling sniper was kindhearted deep down. Even when her companions were threatened and tortured to breaking point, she couldn't bring herself to kill off her own kind when the opportunity arose. Although, it would appear that the idea of letting them off hadn't crossed her mind at any point, however, as they now lay bound before her, dangling from a precarious drop.

" _Mei-Lin, what's wrong with you?!_ " She thought to herself, biting her lip. " _Why can't you speak?!_ "

"Well, you're somehow still alive. For an insignificant little thing that can't even fight properly, you're certainly tenacious." The octobomber leader growled. "I dunno if I should be impressed or not."  
"…!" Mei-Lin couldn't reply. The words still stung, despite her resolution to be strong. Still…  
" _…no turning back now. I have to do this… for myself._ "

"I'm…" Mei-Lin's mouth slowly formed words. "I'm here. To consider if you were all worth rescuing."  
"Excuse me?!" Big Al laughed, the sound coming out in unpleasant gurgles. "The absurdity of this situation, I can't even-"  
"You're here to rescue us?! PLEASE!" One of the octotrooper cronies interrupted. "GET US OUTTA HERE!"  
"…Paul?" The octobomber glared at the octotrooper that spoke out, causing him to shrivel in fear.  
"I-I'm sorry! I don't want to die! I don't want to be hurt! PLEASE!"

Silence befell the area. For a few moments, nothing can be heard but the sound of Low Tide Park crumbling all around them.  
" _This… is my chance. To make amends… for my weaker self. Time to show them… I have changed._ "

"You don't want to die…?" Mei-Lin echoed softly. "You don't want to be hurt?"  
"Y-yes! Help me!"

Mei-Lin's eyes narrowed. She could feel it gnawing within her… an intense hatred. A dark thought crossed her mind…  
" _I could just cut them loose, let them fall. I'm still making amends…_ "

But just as quickly as the thought crossed her mind, her vivid imagination conjured up an image of the consequences. Before her very eyes, her imagination painted the octarians before her plummeting into the pit, meeting a gruesome end when they met the bottom. She felt sick.

"…okay. Remember, you owe me." Mei-Lin shook her head, desperately trying to stuff the hatred she was feeling into some dark corner of her mind. She can regret the righteous decision all she wanted later. For the time being, she focused on the situation, trying to pull the octarians up first.

It was, as expected, extremely difficult for her weak composition, as one octobomber and his cronies actually weighted a fair amount. Looking around for something that could help, Mei-Lin spotted a railing close by. Trying to hold the rope steady, she looped the small bit of rope that she could pull up around it, pulling them up bit by bit until she managed to get the tied up octarians to solid ground.  
Now there was the matter of getting the octarians out of the bindings. They were tied up in a net formation, so a few strategic cuts should free the octotroopers. Spotting a piece of jagged metal on the ground that had likely come from one of the many crumbled islands around her, she reached for it-

Another tremor tore through the area. Caught off guard, she momentarily lost her balance.  
"AAAH!" She screamed, falling over. Her flailing arms unfortunately hit the sharp chunk of debris, knocking it into the bottomless pit down below. Watching it disappear into the darkness, Mei-Lin began to feel dizzy.

"Oh no…" Mei-Lin got up, and looked around, but was shocked to not find another remotely sharp object close by. This was certainly one of the times where architectural obligations like keeping the buildings from falling apart from the slightest tremor were NOT working in her favor.

She was desperate. Mei-Lin could probably try and scavenge something that could be serviceable, but it's more than likely she'd fall into the bottomless pit with the rest of Low-Tide Park before she could. Unable to process any other course of action, she panicked. Baring her sharp fangs, she bit down onto the rope, trying to gnaw the strands loose.  
"NNNNNGH…!"

It was stupid, and exceedingly inefficient. Perhaps had it been someone like Katelyn, physical feats like biting through rope with teeth wouldn't be entirely out of left field, but it most certainly wasn't Mei-Lin's specialization. But eventually, enough strands came apart to the point where the rest of the rope easily snapped, freeing the octarians from their predicament.

"W-WE'RE SAVED!" The octotroopers cheered in unison, but not before Big Al ripped apart the rest of the bindings with one flex, sending them flying in every direction.  
"Hmph…" The octobomber grumbled, as he got up onto his feet. "Don't think that being rescued by you means we're buddies now."  
"…you're welcome." Mei-Lin muttered, indignantly avoiding the mob boss's glare. "But we're not safe until we get to the evacuation point. Don't try anything shady, we're all going to die if any of you do not cooperate."  
The octotroopers got the message, at least. At least, that's the response she interpreted from their vigorous nodding.

Low-Tide Park is in worse shape than Mei-Lin had imagined. Giant stalactites had destroyed some of the bridges, even utterly wiping out a few islands that she once passed through. As she navigated the maze of bridges and destroyed structures, she noticed that the observatory that she had stayed for the night had been impaled by one of the giant spikes, leaving nothing left but a gaping hole.  
" _If this earthquake was bound to happen… we would've gotten caught in that if we arrived a day later..._ " She thought to herself, and shuddered.  
It wasn't long until she could see her destination. The archway that indicated the entrance to Low Tide Park, and just beyond that the familiar darkened tunnel that led to the surface. Seeing the exit, Mei-Lin's heart leapt with renewed vigor.

That is, until a stalactite crashed right behind her.

Wheeling round, her face fell immediately. The octotroopers are lying flat before her unscathed, but the octobomber's body has been penetrated by the giant stone spike that now lay embedded in the bridge, hairline cracks forming from the impact point.

"O-oh…no…no…" Mei-Lin was aghast. They were so close!

Big Al coughed, splattering the ground with fuchsia, before his mouth curled into a smirk.  
"H-heh…heh…" He grunted between labored breaths. "Fancy that. Looks like… I… got the… last… laugh… Urgh…!"

"BOSS!" One of the octotroopers called out, turning round horrified. "We- We'll get you outta there!"

"Stay back, you idiots!" Big Al interrupted, the outburst triggering a series of coughs. "This bridge… is about to go. You lot, get outta… my sight. Do I have to… whack you all with my submission technique again?!"

Mei-Lin couldn't believe what she was hearing. Despite this octobomber's rough manner of speaking, not to mention the cruelty he had heaped on her, he had knocked his subordinates out of harm's way, only to be crushed by the ensuing stalactite.

"W-why…?" She whispered.

Big Al merely laughed. "I don't owe you… an explanation. Urgh… This is where I lived, and… agh… this is where…I'll rest. I… never liked the sun…. anyway."

The bridge began to give way. Mei-Lin and the octotroopers were forced to back away as part of the road collapsed, cutting them off from the doomed octobomber.

"All my life… I'm all about winnin'. Let me, Albert 'Big' Lorenzo, teach you an important life…lesson." The octobomber smirked triumphantly. "You can't… expect to… argh… save everyone. I'll be taking this last win over you… girlie. Ha… ha… ha."

With that, the entire bridge, along with the archway, collapsed. The octobomber fell into the bottomless pit, his laughter still echoing in Mei-Lin's ears.

"….no…no…NO…!"

Mei-Lin fell to her knees, defeated. She didn't mourn the loss of the octobomber much, but she had hoped that she could rescue all the octarians in this particular dome alone. A feat of willpower to prove to her own self that she was no longer the helpless girl she once was.

And one simple stalactite had taken that chance away from her.

"HEY! What are you all hanging around here for? Best make like a popular record and fly outta here!"

Mei-Lin snapped out of her stupor, just as the octotroopers behind her all yelled simultaneously in shock. DJ Octavio was waiting at the mouth of the tunnel in his vehicle, watching them.  
"L-LORD OCTAVIO?!" An octotrooper yelled.  
Another octotrooper outright faceplanted the floor. "P-PLEASE FORGIVE US! YOU MUST UNDERSTAND-"  
"We'll talk about your questionable behavior while you've been stewed down here later. For now, we've got a crumbling dome to escape from!" Octavio commanded. "Get out of here!"

Mei-Lin watched, blinking back tears as she watched the octotroopers run up the slope and disappeared out of view. Staggering, she slowly followed them, walking past Octavio.

"...I… expected this. It's alright." DJ Octavio said, looking at the broken bridge regrettably. "I know it's statistically impossible to rescue absolutely everyone under such conditions."  
"It's not that…" Mei-Lin replied, "I… wanted to prove to myself that I'm not a burden. But look what happened!"  
"What, getting those four octarians this far all on your lonesome isn't proof enough?" Octavio chuckled. "Seems like the Agents in the civilian district are doing about as well as you are. Considering you're just a civilian, I'd give it a pass, yeah?"

Mei-Lin nodded, taking a deep breath and letting her mind calm itself. Undesirable feelings were still mulling around in the back of her head, but she wasn't as shaken as she might have anymore. "…yeah. You're right…"  
"Good. Now, let us head topside. The others oughta be getting there soon."

Without another word, Mei-Lin began making her way up the slope. She could hear the entire dome collapsing behind her, but never once did she look back. All she can do now is focus on the stream of light beaming down at the very end of the tunnel beyond.

* * *

A buzzer went off on a nearby console. Looking up, Callie could see a flashing red light. Wasting no time, she turned on the nearby microphone.  
"Agent 1 here, what's your status?" She asked.  
"The last of the surviving octarians are on!" Beth's voice resounded from a speaker. "And… yeah, one of the recon team's got the octolings with him. We're ready to leave!"

"Got it!" Callie turned off the mic, facing Marie. "How's the civilian district?"  
"They just radioed in. They're on their way!" Marie replied. "I also received word from Rachel just now, we should be expecting the Agents from the Grand Library soon!"  
"Wow… that went better than I thought." Callie looked back at the console. "What about DJ Octavio?"

"Someone page me?" A familiar voice shouted from across the cavern. Turning round, the Squid Sisters could see the octarian leader riding out of the entrance to Sector 0 on his DJ booth, Mei-Lin running closely after him with three octotroopers in tow.  
"Well, you took your time, old friend!" Captain Cuttlefish grumbled, tapping his cane as he walked up to the group. "Best stand clear of that tunnel, looks like the others are on their way here."

"…Where's everyone?" Mei-Lin asked, looking around the cavern. "Was I… the first one back?"  
"If you're looking for the rest of your team, they should be on their way!" Callie replied, waving at her. "Get to a safe distance!"  
"Alright." Mei-Lin replied, backing away as she heard a deep hum emitting from the tunnel entrance.

Before long, an armada of UFOs poured out of the entrance to Sector 0 one by one, each one flying past the operation crew before they went up the tunnel that led to the surface of Octo Valley, and disappeared from sight. As each one flew past, Cuttlefish's eyes darted to each one, the aged captain mentally counting each one.  
"…that's the last of them!" He eventually yelled, as one final UFO cleared the entrance. The support beams around the cave entrance were starting to quiver dangerously.  
"Without a moment to spare." Octavio added, watching the console readout. "It's… all coming down."

 **Sector integrity: 3%... 1%...0%.**

Everyone that remained in the cavern felt it. The dark tunnel that lay beyond the entrance cracked and crumbled, the concrete walls caving in as the effects of the tremors finally reached the top of Sector 0. A rush of wind blew through the area as it all fell apart, rattling the support beams surrounding the tunnel mouth. Eventually, the destruction stopped right at the support beams, the death rattle of Sector 0 punctuated by them as they fell on top of themselves, crumpling like crushed cardboard.

Eventually, the last of the tremors coming from what used to be Sector 0 came to a halt, and the earth was finally still. All that was left was silence.

* * *

"We've been down there for HOW LONG?!"

Mei-Lin stopped in her tracks amidst pushing past a crowd of octarians, noticing an octoling commander and a noticeably scruffy looking octoling that stood out from the crowd talking to yet another octoling soldier that had just now flinched from surprise.  
The moment the inkling had arrived at the surface of Octo Valley, she had been overwhelmed by the crowd of octarians and inkling Agents all over the place, most likely the aftermath of Sector 0's collapse. Most were celebrating as they reunited with their friends and family, though she noticed a good amount of octarians that were just wandering aimlessly, obviously having trouble managing the transition from a lifetime underground. The inkling was trying to locate her teammates amidst the crowd until the people before her caught her attention.  
The octoling commander in particular had yelled pretty loudly, catching everyone nearby off guard, Mei-Lin included. The hunched down octoling whimpered, obviously not accustomed to the unwanted attention.

"I-I only told you what day it is today..." The unfortunate messanger said weakly, undoubtedly regretting her decision to open her mouth.  
"Really, Aussie? I don't know why you're so bothered." The messy-looking octoling chimed in, amused. "So we've been gone for like, seven months, so what? It's just an extended holi-"  
"THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROBLEM, TAI! If we're gone for that long, they might as well have treated us like we've died! The cohesion of the squad, the state of the barracks… GOOD GRIEF…!" Aussie grumbled, massaging the back of her head. "All that work I gotta deal with once I get back to our barracks, and I'm definitely not in top shape… I just can't remember what I was doing the day before! Head hurts a lot on top of all that…"  
"Oh, um… yeah." Tai looked elsewhere with a shifty look on her face. "I guess you must've banged your head pretty hard when we were getting outta there. I'm sure it's nothing."

Aussie grumbled a few choice words in response that were far too muffled for Mei-Lin to overhear, before she walked off towards a distant kettle, dragging Tai by the arm with her.  
"Urgh… WHATEVER! We're heading back straight away! Tai, you're going to be cleaning out the barracks with the others! AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT SLACKING OFF!"  
"Alright, alright. I'll get to it, _commander_." Tai replied, lazily droning the last word.

The moment the commander hopped into the kettle entrance, the irresponsible-looking octoling merely shrugged, smirking mischievously.  
"…eh. I'll check on my room first. Gotta make sure it's still in perfect operating condition!" Tai snickered, as she made sure her commander was most certainly out of earshot. "It's not like they're going to treat us like we've died or anything. Time to indulge in a hero's return… followed by a prolonged examination of my bunk! Heh heh..."

Mei-Lin watched as the messily dressed soldier jumped into the kettle after her superior officer, and promptly vanished. Not wasting any more time with distractions, she doubled down on her efforts to locate her teammates.  
She didn't have to look for very long. Just past a small group of confused octocopters, she spotted Katelyn. She appears to be watching from the side as a rather small octotrooper was staring with childlike wonder at the partially cloudy sky, with Eliza besides him pointing out specific details.  
"…and that's the sun! You see that really bright light just beyond the clouds?" The octoling sniper explained happily. "Don't look at it directly, it's a lot brighter than the bulb we had back home. You'll hurt your eyes if you do."  
"Wooooah." The octotrooper child's eyes were glimmering with wonder, completely entranced by the unfamiliar scenery.

"Katelyn!" Mei-Lin called out. Her friend turned to face her, positively beaming.  
"Mei-Lin! You're alright!" Katelyn exclaimed. Mei-Lin had to brace herself to make sure her friend didn't bowl her over. "I was worried sick…"  
"It's okay, I'm right here." She looked over Katelyn's shoulder, and at what Eliza's doing. "Is she…?"  
"I coerced her to have some quality family time. Let's leave them be." Katelyn paused momentarily, looking around. "…where's Cobalt and Chris?"

"Someone looking for me?" A familiar voice replied. Cobalt emerged from the crowd of octarians, with Chris in tow. "I… kinda got a little pushed around and ended up in that crowd for a bit. Chris had to find me and fish me outta there."  
"Sounds like a very 'you' thing." Katelyn replied, and snickered. "Still… I'm glad we all made it out of that place alive. That was… really something else."  
"Yeah…" For a brief second, Mei-Lin seemed despondent, but just as quickly the expression was replaced by a stiff smile. "It was."  
"So now that that's over with…" Cobalt said, looking around. "What are we gonna-"

A seagull squawked overhead. Suddenly, something hard fell from the sky, hitting Cobalt square in the head and knocking him over in the process.  
"AGH!" He croaked.

The team rushed to get him back up, but Katelyn stopped mid-step as she realized WHAT had hit Cobalt. From the concrete floor, a concussed Salty was looking back, his eyes spinning dizzily in spirals.  
"WHAT THE HECK?!" Katelyn yelled, picking up the Super Sea Snail. "SALTY?! How did you-"

It was then she remembered.  
"Oh… I left the window open, didn't I?" She said flatly. "Gods, I'm such an idiot! Still, I'm glad you're alright, Salty."  
"Coo!" The Sea Snail merely replied, looking up. The seagull that had dropped him flew down and landed besides Katelyn, looking quizzically at Salty.  
"I…. don't get it." The inkling girl laughed. "Were you adventuring with that bird somehow?"  
The seagull squawked. She couldn't tell if that was an acknowledgement, or was it just squawking randomly like any other bird would.

"Geez. Whatever it was, I'm not letting you out of my sights!" Katelyn reached for her pocket, withdrawing two long white ribbons. With both hands, she tied one around the base of her left tentacle, and another around Salty's shell.  
"There. We got matching accessories!" She smiled. "That way, people will know to find me if we ever get separated."  
The Super Sea Snail rattled his shell in response, somewhat pleased by his new look. Without another word, Katelyn stuffed Salty back under her bobble hat, sheltering it from the elements.  
"Well, that's nice. Could've worked on the entrance…" Cobalt groaned, rubbing his head as he shot a dirty look at the seagull that aerial bombed him. "Yeesh, you couldn't just LAND?"  
"SQUAWK!" The seagull merely responded, flying away.

* * *

Just as the team was about to begin debating on what to do next, their conversation was interrupted by a sudden broadcast that echoed all over Octo Valley. All the octarians and Agents stopped what they were doing and looked towards the source. Octavio had taken the helm and spoken into a held microphone, while hovering a few feet above Captain Cuttlefish's shack in his DJ booth.

"*ahem*, I would like everyone's attention!" The octarian leader said. "First of all, I must thank everyone that had partaken in this operation. By all intents and purposes, it has been a success."

There was a collective cheer that echoed throughout the crowd. Mei-Lin noticed however that there were a very small number of octarians and inklings that didn't. They kept their mouths shut and their heads were bowed low, not really smiling. Were they…?

"Yes, I can see it in some of you." Octavio bowed his head. "It would be foolish to say that there hadn't been losses. The earthquake had been unprecedented, and as a result some of the survivors, and our forces… didn't make it."

Silence fell across the crowd, like they were cut off with a guillotine. What could be said?

Octavio nodded, sympathizing with them. "…yes, I know. There isn't much we can do for them now. My heart goes out to the ones that lost a loved one this day… or those that may have left people behind. But you must all understand: we're alive now. We're all gathered here. The least we can do to honor their memory is to live for their sakes. As the leader of an ostracized people, I understand this more than anyone else."

An uneasy silence drifted over Octo Valley as everyone mourned their losses. Eventually, the octarian leader coughed, shaking his head. "…with that out of the way, I've been talking to Captain Cuttlefish, and I believe that everyone that has assisted in the operation deserves compensation for their bravery. There isn't much we can offer to you all, but I would like everyone to accept our caches of Power Eggs as rewards. For those that need it, Agents 1 and 2 are willing to provide some comfort to those that lost a friend or family, so feel free to talk to them if any of you need consolation. Dismissed."

Chatter began to flare up all over the crowd again. Some of the octarian civilians began to file out, disappearing into kettles scattered all over the islands, escorted by octolings. Agents started to form a line, collecting their generous sum of Power Eggs to use at their discretion before jumping into the sewer grate that led back to Inkopolis.  
"Looks like this is it." Cobalt said, joining the line. "C'mon, we should also get our share before we go."  
"And what exactly are we supposed to do with Power Eggs?" Katelyn asked. "I don't even know what they're for! I mean I've seen 'em in hardware stores, but I never cared enough to check."  
"….I dunno either. I'm sure they're valuable though!"

It was a particularly long wait, considering the amount of Agents. Eventually, they reached the front of the line, and was met with Captain Cuttlefish.  
"Oh, it's you squiddos!" He said, rummaging through a massive pile of what looks like tin cans behind him and handing out a generous handful to the team. "Here's your share of Power Eggs."  
"Pardon our ignorance… but what are they for?" Mei-Lin asked.  
"Ah, yes. Power Eggs are invaluable for upgrading inkling weaponry." Cuttlefish explained. "I'm no engineer so I can't really tell you the intricate details, but I had a comrade that dabbled in upgrade tech once upon a time..."

"You kids should know his grandson really well, too." A familiar voice added. "He runs the weapon shop in Inkopolis Plaza!"  
The team turned at the sound of the voice, and was surprised to see the Squid Sisters waving at them.  
"Oh, that was quick!" Cuttlefish exclaimed. "There weren't that many that needed consoling, I imagine."  
"Yeah… I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that there weren't that many losses." Marie said. "That was quite the major event."  
"You guys did ace! Not even Agents, and despite that you all showed some serious grit down there!" Callie congratulated. "If you four ever need help, we're happy to assist in your quest. Just call us up!"

Callie reached for her pocket, and withdrew a mobile phone. "C'mon, let's share our phone numbers!"  
Katelyn's eyes were practically lit up like spotlights. "Wait, really?! You're giving us your numbers just like that?! YES PLEASE!"  
"Katelyn, your inner fangirl is showing." Mei-Lin said, taking out her own. "Still, having Agents at our beck and call isn't a bad option."  
"I'd love to receive the number too, but I seem to have left my phone at home…" Cobalt rummaged through his pockets, not finding anything. "Chris, you gotta help me note this down… Chris?"

Chris snapped out of his silence. All the while, he seemed rather out of it, as if he were contemplating something. "O-oh! Right, sorry. I had something on my mind right now."  
"Huh, not like you to be the one not paying attention." Cobalt quipped. "Got your phone?"  
"Yeah. Actually…" Chris turned to face his teammates. "That reminds me. We've agreed to meet up at a specific time yesterday, but it might be inefficient. Best we form a proper group on our mobile devices so we can contact one another at any time."  
"That sounds like a plan!" Katelyn agreed. "Heehee, it's like we're officially recognizing ourselves as the Splatfest Restoration Squad!"  
"Don't you have a better name?" Cobalt chuckled. "That's lame."  
"S-shut up! It's temporary, alright?!"

The exchange of information didn't take long, and the team received their rewards. They made preparations, ready to return home to Inkopolis. From their vantage point, Inkopolis was lit up by the setting sun, shimmering gently in the distance. It reminded Katelyn of the dimly lit bulb back at the civilian district…

"Leaving so soon?"

Katelyn turned at the sound of the voice. Eliza was walking towards them, and with the rest of the Under-Sea-Dogs with her.  
"Oh! Eliza!" She said.  
"We've all decided to see you off." Heather chimed in. "Seems appropriate, after everything that's happened between us…"  
"…and yet you've all helped with rescuing the civilians." Morgan continued. "I couldn't thank you all enough for your assistance."

"Thanks, but…" Katelyn's smile drooped by a fraction. "Sector 0's gone. What are you all going to do now?"  
"We're going to be pursuing our original dream together. The reason we formed the Under-Sea-Dogs in the first place. True equality for all the octarians." Clarence replied. "Things might've changed here, but I believe there's still work that can be done."  
"I've been thinking of renaming the Blue-Ringed Menace squadron I was in command of to the Under-Sea-Dogs." Eliza said. "After that… well, we'll decide together on the future."  
"That's good to hear." Chris said, nodding in approval. "I hope you all achieve your dreams."  
"Indeed." Morgan replied. "I wish you all luck in your quest."

With one last wave, the octolings joined the rest of the octarians returning home, and vanished from sight. Giving them one last wave of goodbye, Chris turned to face the team.  
"I guess we'll all be going home now." He said, turning to Cobalt. "Cobalt? Let's head home."  
"Yeah. I'll be right after you."

Chris nodded in response, hopping into the manhole that headed home. Cobalt turned to face Katelyn.  
"Hey, remember that talk we had down there? Go on." He whispered, giving her a wink. With that, he jumped right after Chris, and disappeared.

Katelyn gulped, turning to face Mei-Lin.  
"H-hey…" She muttered.  
"What is it, Katelyn?"

In that very instant, Katelyn could see it proper. Mei-Lin's mannerisms had changed since their ordeal. Her smile, while still somewhat underlain with an unspoken sadness, was no longer forced, and seemed so much more radiant than what Katelyn had seen her ever make in the time she had known her.  
Her mental strength has indeed grown after all. Perhaps it was for the best.

"…it's nothing." Katelyn said, returning the smile. "Are you okay with returning home by yourself?"  
"...yeah. I guess I'll be seeing you."

With that, Mei-Lin disappeared with the manhole, and Katelyn followed suit shortly after. As the girls met on the other side and exchanged words of farewell, they went their separate ways home. The sun finally set over Inkopolis, giving way to darkness. Inkopolis Plaza is, once again, devoid of activity, the lingering chill of winter hovering in the air.  
That is, until a small shadow uncurled from a corner, and settled down under the pale moonlight that shone from above. As the clouds parted, the creature looked up into the sky, looking sleepy.

"Meow… (Oh my… the moon is big and bright tonight. What mewmories…)"

* * *

 **AN: AAAAAAAND done! Good grief, this chapter (or chapters, if you wanna be specific about it) took FAR longer than I would've liked. A lot of things had happened, one of the biggest including my old laptop finally dying, so I was scrambling in panic to salvage the unfinished works. But now that THAT's over with... I've realized so much has happened since I've started writing this story.  
I never realized it until someone pointed it out: I've been at this thing for two years now! I would've posted this at the anniversary, but, I'm not good with planning ahead. But at least I got this out at the end of the year! Here's hoping 2018 doesn't totally suck!**


	37. SECOND MOVEMENT

**^ SECOND MOVEMENT ^**

* * *

Once more, the spotlight is lit, and the piano is set. Once more, a pair of metallic hands reached for the keyboard, and played a tune. Music echoed around the room, melancholy and slow.

" **Truly remarkable.** " The figure's voice resounded in the darkness. " **Evolution is set free. Vigor slowly returns to the populace. Those pilgrims hold promise…** "

Another spotlight switched on. An old wooden kaleidoscope lay flat on the ground, the light playing on the curious toy. It lay uselessly on the ground, unremarkable and decrepit.

" **Evolution… nature's folly. A game of chance, and one that begets a cruel fate to those that loses the game.** " Iridescent eyes snap open in the darkness, glaring at the piano. " **The children of the earth paid dearly… they were able to transcend, and yet beasthood never left them. From their moment of conception… they were meant to disappear into the void, dragged down into the abyss by their base desires…** "

As the music filled the room, another light shone from nowhere, through the kaleidoscope. A rainbow of hues and patterns sprang forth, casting onto a wall that seemed seamless and pure.

" **Revenge… vengeance… A death that was implied, and never clarified. That… is the power of instinct. Turning brother upon brother, their heritage irrelevant. Perhaps… the children of the sea are as beastly as their earthen ancestors…** "

The eyes narrowed in the dark, content with the rehearsal. As the music faded into nothingness, the lights went out, and the room is still once more.

" **Two chances remain. Faced with mortality, and the embrace of the earth, perhaps a revelation shall spring forth.** "

The figure vanished into nothingness, leaving naught but a single whisper.

" **The second movement fades, and the third movement builds. The story… continues.** "


	38. Respite

**Respite**

* * *

"…aaaaand cut to commercial! Okay everyone, take five! Let's all rest up for now."

Mack Saltwater breathed a sigh of relief, slipping out of his chair in the recording booth and reaching for the nearest towel he could find. Dabbing the sweat off his brow, he watched as his fellow colleagues exchanged murmurs of gratitude as they took a break.  
He briefly glanced back at the sign hung right outside the booth, though perhaps a piece of paper with "News" printed on it taped to the wall was far too charitable a description for it. Sure, it was good he still had a job to do ever since Splatfest and in turn Turf Wars stopped altogether, but…

"Yo, Mack! How's your day been?"

The fishman turned at the sound of the voice. Cranky Steve was looking up from fiddling with the sound system, and looking at him with a concerned face.  
"…fine, more or less." Mack mumbled back, sounding just as exhausted as everyone else around him.  
"Is that so?" Steve replied, raising a brow in skepticism. "Everyone else that I've yammered to said the same thing: they're bored, they'd rather be dealin' with Turf Wars and the like rather than this dull shizzle, that sorta thing. You're the ex-host of Splatfest commentary, pretty sure YOU'D be a lot more down than the others."  
Mack reeled internally. Steve's guess was accurate to the point it was somewhat intimidating. "Err…. Yeah, you're absolutely right."

Steve nodded sagely. That is until his headphones nearly slipped off, and he had to put it back on his head. Spotting a nearby unopened bottle of water, he tossed it at Mack, who managed to catch it in midair with a precise swipe.  
"So, whaddya think of reading the news on the Inkopolis radio channel?" The prawn asked, adjusting his headphones. "You seem to be adjusting just fine, so far."  
"Well, I suppose it's not that much different from what I usually do. It's just that it's… BORING!" Mack threw up his arms dramatically. "There's no energy, no pizazz! Just say what's on the teleprompter and be on my merry way! It's not the same as narrating a sport, it's just too predictable!"  
"I ah… I getcha." Steve replied, noticing a couple of colleagues within earshot that were glancing at their direction. "Wouldn't the more explosive pieces be interestin' for you? Like-"

Cranky Steve's eyes widened as he recalled something. "Oh, that's right! The Splatfest Altar's messages! You remember the one that broadcasted two days ago, right?"  
"Yeah! I did! Saw it all happen on TV the other day!" Mack's face lightened up as he recalled the Squid Sisters being caught off guard by the abrupt appearance of the message being printed. "Didn't you say you were also there when another one of those were being printed?"  
"Yeah… big surprise, that one. I had to call up everyone I knew to tell 'em something big was happenin'." Steve rolled his eyes as he recalled the difficulties he had recording the news with the Squid Sisters. "It was a lotta work convincin' some of 'em it was really true… I don't think there were a lot of people that actually believed there was even any chance Splatfests were coming back."

"I can imagine… Oh, now that you mention those messages, have you heard?" Mack said, as he watched Steve get back to examining the microphones. "Someone out there in the city's been acting on them! I overheard some inklings talking about it while I was on my way to work, something about a bunch of boys and girls working together to bring the festival back."  
"I suppose that'd explain what happened the other day in the Plaza." Steve stopped abruptly in the middle of fiddling with the wires. "Good criminy, that was crazy to witness… the entire crowd just up and jumpin' into the same manhole all at once! I saw it happenin' just outside the Squid Sister's studio right after that second altar message came out. How did it go again… 'brothers in arms once stood hand in hand'… something like that."  
"The manhole, huh? You reckon it's to do with those two's… 'side job'?" Mack asked, taking a sip from his bottle.  
"Pfft, what else can it be?" Steve snorted. Callie and Marie's stint as Agents was common knowledge among the regular folk working in the entertainment industry given their lack of subtlety, and it hadn't taken them long to realize that one particular manhole outside the Squid Sister's studio was connected to the octarians somehow. Still, it seemed management wasn't bothered with the two idols doing their Agent work as long as it didn't bite into their regular careers. Personally, Mack still found it bewildering that those two can somehow pull it off for months without going mad in the slightest.  
"I suppose it can't be anything else." Mack finished the water in his bottle, casually lobbing it into the nearest recycling bin with a toss. "Wonder what's happened down there, anyway? Those girls seemed more tired than usual when they came to work today…"

"Everyone, we're live in a minute!" A sharkman in the back with sunglasses called out, waving a rolled up piece of paper. "Mack, get into position! Cranky, boot up the teleprompter! Fillmore, I need you to…"

"Oh crud, we'll talk later. Ah… wait!" Steve halted Mack with a raised claw. "After we're done, reckon we should go out and see how the whole situation's been chuggin' along so far?"  
"Oh? What are you proposing?" Mack asked.  
"Well, I'd reckon it'd be a shame if we don't get to see for ourselves some of the action. What say we go and check out what those kids are doing with the whole Splatfest restoration business? We'll take it up with management, disguise it as a reporter job."  
Mack smiled from ear to ear. If this was indeed commentary on the restoration of Splatfests, this job is exactly up his alley. "Fine by me. See you after this broadcast, I'll meet you by the vending machine just next to the lifts."

As the countdown ended, and the radio broadcast became live once more, Mack prepared his notes as he glanced at the teleprompter, looking through his notes with a smile. It would certainly be an exciting prospect, witnessing the return of Splatfests…

"Welcome back, listeners! Mack Saltwater here, with all the latest updates on the streets…"

* * *

A gentle breeze blew through the air, as snow slowly drifted down on Porpoise Park. Thanks to the recent bout of concentrated snowfall, the entire landscape was covered in white, even more so compared to the beginning of winter season. Even the frozen lake was coated in a thin layer of snow, perfectly camouflaging it from its surroundings.  
Somewhere down the snowy pathway, Mei-Lin was seated in her usual spot, sketching earnestly like she used to. Her muse today was a small flock of sparrows that somehow managed to brave the cold, strutting about within a beam of sunlight that shone from above and beamed down on a partially melted path of ground, revealing the brickwork beneath.

"Hold still now…" Mei-Lin whispered, carefully detailing the feathers on one of the sparrow's wings. "…There. That looks good."  
The sparrow in question chirped happily, preening its feathers. If she didn't know better she could've sworn the bird was making itself look more presentable.

Mei-Lin briefly looked down at what she had drawn, when an image of the events that had occurred the day prior shot through her head. Feeling a wave of vertigo overcome her, she winced and tried to let it pass, putting aside her sketchbook. There was no way she could draw if her mind is uneasy.  
"…ugh, I can't believe this." She moaned.  
The sparrows chirped back quizzically, and Mei-Lin looked down at their small and feathery bodies with a sigh.  
"…you guys are so lucky." She said, "You don't have to care about anything. Just… eat, sleep, fly through the sky… you guys don't even think about it when you can't save someone else…"

The sparrows didn't really answer back. A couple went back to preening their feather, while one looked at the inkling curiously, tilting its head.  
"I… I suppose not even being capable of caring isn't such a bad thing." Mei-Lin smiled sadly, the chirping of the sparrows settling her mind as she reached for her sketchbook again. "I can tell you anything I want. You won't judge me for the things I had messed up. It's… a kind of blessing, I suppose."

"Ah, there you are!"

Mei-Lin jumped at the loud voice, turning instinctively at the source. She yelped as she was faced with a gas mask staring right back at her, before the rest of her mind managed to catch up with what she was seeing and she realized Cobalt was greeting her. It seems like even the cold weather was finally getting to him, as he's worn a Camo zip hoodie on top of his shirt to keep out the elements.  
"Oh…. Whoops?" The masked inkling laughed, as the sparrows flew off and roosted on a nearby branch. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"  
"…hello." Mei-Lin replied sourly, looking back down at her drawing before she closed her sketchbook.  
"Well, hello to you too!" Cobalt took a seat next to Mei-Lin leaning on the bench. "Did I startle you?"  
Mei-Lin merely gave him a cold stare. "…you know, I still remember how you busted down the door to my house."  
"Ouch. C'mon, I apologized for that! Heh heh…"

Cobalt looked around, surveying the landscape. "Huh… Where's Katelyn? Doesn't she normally stick to you like glue?"  
"She's... gone to get some drinks for me." Mei-Lin replied, sighing. "It's been five minutes… what's keeping her so busy?"  
"Well, it can't be anything complicated." Cobalt scratched the back of his head, in thought. "…probably."

* * *

"ARGH! Blasted machine!"

Katelyn hammered her fists on the vending machine in vain, merely making loud metallic thumps with every hit. Inside her bobble hat, an impatient cooing can be heard.  
"Yeah, I know, Salty!" She grumbled, before shivering from the cold. Due to the drop in temperature lately she's taken to wearing a white coat with a furry collar and silk stockings alongside her usual apparel to accommodate, but it doesn't seem to have done much in keeping out the icy air. "Urgh, I can't stay out here for long…"  
She gave the temperamental machine another right hook, wincing as it did nothing but give her sore fingers. "GAAAH! Eat my coins, why don't you?! Dammit… now what?"

Katelyn's hat wriggled, and Salty popped out from underneath to have a closer look. Hopping carefully onto her shoulder and then onto the ground, the sea snail stared inquisitively at the dispensing hatch on the bottom the machine.  
"You…. wanna try something?" Katelyn asked.  
"Coo!" Salty merely replied. Katelyn reluctantly lifted open the plastic cover to the hatch, and watched as Salty crawled up into the hatch and into the vending machine itself.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Katelyn asked, before a series of muffled bangs and crashes echoed from within the machine. Startled, the inkling flipped the cover open again, just to see two cans of soda cascade out of the chute along with a shellshocked Salty.  
"Ah, you did it!" Katelyn exclaimed, picking up Salty along with the cans of soda. "C'mon, let's head back before-"

She paused briefly. The rattling noises coming from the vending machine haven't stopped. A few seconds later, another can of soda fell out of it, followed by another, and another, and another…  
Surprised by this development, Katelyn looked around to make sure no one was close by, before ducking down and scooping up all the cans she can carry. Hearing an ominous creaking, she wheeled around and saw the vending machine shuddering dangerously, seemingly about to explode.

Katelyn and Salty immediately looked at one another, both of them paling.  
"…Uh oh."

Stopping to slip Salty back into her hat, Katelyn bolted as fast as her legs can carry her, right before an avalanche of refreshments quite literally exploded out of the machine. The unexpected hazard bowled over an unfortunate jellyfish, which had the misfortune to be strolling by at that exact moment.

* * *

"I mean, it's just getting drinks in a park, it's not complicated." Cobalt said, kicking his feet lazily. "She'll be back in a mo, I reckon."  
"I suppose…" Mei-Lin muttered. Noticing that the sparrows have cautiously fluttered back onto the pathway, she opened up her sketchbook again before she continued her drawings.

"…just what are you doing here, anyway?" Mei-Lin asked eventually.  
"Chris ditched me, he's gone somewhere to do…. stuff. I wasn't paying attention. So, I went and read the group chat outta boredom, and saw that you and Katelyn are apparently hanging around out here. So…. Here I am." Cobalt replied. "Well, I think he told me he'll message us once he's ready. So until then, I'm just gonna chill here."  
"…I see." Mei-Lin paused momentarily, looking at the sparrows.

A chilling breeze blew down the path, a handful of snowflakes floating by as a result. The two inklings sat there in silence, waiting for their friends to eventually show up.

"Man, it really has been a crazy week, hasn't it?" Cobalt finally broke the silence, leaning back lazily. "First all that nonsense in Backwater Barricade three days back, then we had to rescue octarians from a crumbling underground city just yesterday. Urgh… we earned this break."  
"I suppose." Mei-Lin replied, stowing away her pencil as she finally finished sketching the flock of sparrows before her. "…it's all just so unreal to me. All that just… happens in the span of three days. It's just…"  
"Just what?"  
"…exhausting. I guess." Mei-Lin sighed, her breath crystalizing in the air into a soft mist. "I'm just not cut out for this… I'm just not."  
"Eh, I dunno about that." Cobalt shrugged his shoulders. "You dealt the finishing blow on that huge thing the Under-Sea-Dogs sprang on us! Reckon that's worth some kinda praise, I'd say…"  
"I-It was a fluke! Besides…" Mei-Lin's voice lowered to a whisper. "I couldn't have done it without… h-him being there by my side… He was so reassuring… so kind… I…"

"…Oh my, sounds like someone has a crush!" Cobalt's eyes narrow with mischief as he realized what Mei-Lin was implying. "You got the hots for Chris, don'tcha?"  
Mei-Lin's face instantly flushed a shade of auburn. "W-w-w-wait, that's not what…! I- I mean…"  
"It's okaaaaay, you don't have to tell me!" Cobalt replied in a sing-song voice. "I'll put in a good word with him! Perhaps if it goes well, he'll ask you out on a date! Maybe he'll even hold your hand, and give you a k-"  
"S-shut up!" Practically by reflex, Mei-Lin took a swing with her sketchbook, clouting Cobalt in the head. Her face was positively glowing with embarrassment.  
"Ow! Ow! Stop hitting me!" Cobalt flailed his arms in pain from the impact. "Yowch, that hurt…! Since when did they start making sketchbooks with covers hard enough to work as improvised weapons?!"

Mercifully, Cobalt's teasing was interrupted when both his phone and Mei-Lin's began to vibrate simultaneously. Both inklings stopped their miniature squabble and took out their phones, reading the message being displayed on their screens.  
"Oh, looks like Chris is done with whatever he was up to… Hmm…" Cobalt said, rubbing his head. "Let's see… 'Inkopolis Plaza', 'invited Sheldon', 'meet at the coffee shop', yada yada... Wait, 'bring your weapons'? What's he getting at?"  
"…I don't know." Mei-Lin replied, looking at the display worryingly. "What weapons, exactly?"  
"I'd imagine it'd be the weapons we'd been using so far. Guess that means you'll be taking Eliza's Splatterscope." Cobalt turned off his phone and pocketed it, before getting up from his seat. "Best not keep him waiting."  
"Alright."

"HEEEEY! HOLD UP!"

Cobalt and Mei-Lin turned at the source of the voice, and both were bewildered by what they saw. Katelyn was walking down the path, carrying a mountain of drinks and barely standing upright. It was a miracle she was still able to see where she was going.  
"I… I only needed one can." Mei-Lin said weakly.  
"Well, blame the vending machine, not me!" Katelyn shouted back. "Oh, Cobalt! I didn't expect to see you here! Help me out with this, won't you?"  
"…guess we'll be talking over a huge mound of refreshments as well. Welp, no complaints!" Cobalt laughed, before walking down the path to give Katelyn a hand.

* * *

"Weapon upgrades, huh? Can you elaborate on that?"

Katelyn stared at Chris with a puzzled expression, tapping the can of soda in her hand on the table. The team sat assembled around a table outside of a coffee shop just a few streets down Inkopolis Plaza, their chosen beverages in hand and a discussion fully under way. Their weapons are piled up at the very middle of the table, attracting a few nervous stares from the jellyfish bartenders that walked in and out of the shop carrying cups of coffee. Chris himself appears to be sporting a varsity jacket ever since the temperature's taken a spot for the worse, and he was still shivering slightly despite the warmer apparel.

"It's exactly as I said, I'm cashing in on the Power Eggs we've been given." Chris elaborated. "I'm sure we all remember the difficulty we had fighting the Octoasura the other day."  
"Don't remind me… our regular weapons were barely doing anything towards that thing!" Cobalt groaned, neglecting his drink. "We would've been hosed if Eliza's Splatterscope didn't have that weird death beam tacked on it as a Special!"  
"There was also that Pawn… thing, right?" Mei-Lin added, silently drinking the warm can of corn soup she picked out of the mountain of drinks. "That thing stopped you on the way out of Sector 0… that's what you said, right Chris?"  
"Yeah. We had to get creative to destroy it for good… and I doubt we'd be lucky enough to rely on outside elements again if we ever run into something similar out there during our journey." Chris took a sip from his canned coffee, before continuing. "Short to the point: our weapons are made for fighting inklings or octarians, but they are definitely not engineered with ink-resistant enemies in mind. We still don't know what we'll have to deal with when we find the last two crosses, but it's best that we don't take any chances."

"So…. do you mind telling me why we bought our weapons here?" Katelyn asked, looking around. "I think we're scaring the customers…"  
"It's so I can take a good look at them myself!" A familiar voice responded. Turning at the sound of the voice, Katelyn was surprised to see a certain horseshoe crab walking out of the coffee shop with an amusingly large cup that was nearly as tall as he was.  
"Oh, there you are, Sheldon! Never thought I'd be seeing you outside of your shop…" Cobalt exclaimed. Since Turf Wars stopped entirely, the weapons shop dealer seemed to have all but vanished, only bought up in passing by his fellow shopkeepers.  
"Well, I was pinged by a certain… duo. I got most of the story from them." Sheldon replied, settling the gigantic cup on the table and pulling up a spare seat. "So! How can I be of service…?"

"I'll just get straight to the point." Chris said, setting down his drink and facing Sheldon with a serious expression. "We'll need to modify our existing weapons so we can stand a chance against enemies that aren't affected by ink. Can you do that?"  
"That can be done, so long as I got the materials to do so…" Sheldon looked at the pile of weapons at the center of the table, pondering. "You got those Power Eggs on you, by any chance?"  
"Right here." Chris rummaged through his backpack, withdrawing the tin cans that Captain Cuttlefish had rewarded them for a job well done. "There should be enough in here for all four of us."  
"Look at that… and there's enough left over for me to experiment! PERFECT." Sheldon's eyes were essentially glimmering with glee as he accepted the Power Eggs. "I just need all four of you to fill in some paperwork and I'll be on my merry way."  
"Paperwork?" Cobalt asked skeptically. "You're not asking us to participate in some shady deal, are ya?"  
"Who do you think I am, Spyke?!" Sheldon snapped, passing out a few pieces of paper and handing them to the inklings. "I just need to clarify your fighting styles so I can tailor the custom weapons to match your performances! Here: just write down the weapon you use, your preferred roles in a Turf War, how you would handle facing an opponent or an objective… the simple stuff. That's all I need."  
"Wait. I'm… not involved enough in Turf Wars. I've only been in one match." Mei-Lin confessed, as she passed pens to everyone. "What should I write?"  
"Just think back to the Octoasura battle. That probably qualifies." Katelyn replied. "I'm sure you can translate that to a Turf War scenario with that magnificent brain of yours!"  
"I'm…. trying not to dwell too hard on it…" Mei-Lin shuddered. "But… I'll try."

It wasn't long until the team finally finished their paperwork. Sheldon accepted their forms one by one along with their weapons, stuffing the lot inside a giant backpack that was twice his size.  
"Now that THAT'S out of the way…" Sheldon said, taking a large sip from his coffee. "There IS one other matter: payment."  
"Wait, what?!" Both Cobalt and Katelyn exclaimed simultaneously, getting up from their chairs in shock.  
"Woah, relax! Sorry, I should've probably mentioned I'm not looking for your credits when it's hard for inklings to get hold of 'em these days!" Sheldon apologized. "I do have a request to make though."  
"…what would that be?" Mei-Lin asked. "If it's not credits, then…"  
"Once the Splatfest Altar confirms the location of the third cross, I would very much like to join you. Sounds to me those relics are the real deal!" Sheldon clarified. "Consider the knowledge gained to be the payment for this custom job! I might just be able to make something new out of those relics if we find any…"  
"Wait… that's all?" Katelyn said, settling back into her seat. "You sure you're not just taking the opportunity to go on holiday or something?"  
Sheldon looked around shiftily for a brief moment. "Well… I can't deny that thought's crossed my mind. Shops don't pay rent by themselves… and let's just say I'm in a spot of bother. It might be a good idea for me to be out of Inkopolis for a bit, if you catch my drift."  
The gang looked at one another, and decided not to press the issue any further.

"Anyway, it's best that I be going. Weapon modifications are best done sooner than later!" Sheldon picked up his things and prepared to leave. "Good luck on your quests! I'll give Chris a phone call once I'm ready to present my latest creations!"

The team watched as Sheldon left, oversized coffee cup still in his hands. As the horseshoe crab walked down the street and disappeared around the corner, a thought just occurred to one of the members.  
"Now that he mentioned the third cross…" Cobalt spoke up, sitting back down. "I don't think we've been told when the Splatfest Altar will print its next message this time. What are we supposed to do right now?"  
"Cobalt, that earthquake came outta nowhere!" Katelyn reminded him. "I'm pretty sure that cross would've told us if it hadn't interrupted us!"  
"Yeah, you're right. Still, I don't like just sitting around doing nothing…"

"There is… one other thing I'm here to discuss." Chris said. "That Pawn… right before it was destroyed, it… spoke to me."  
"Huh?!" The other three inklings responded simultaneously.  
"I could only mention it in brief over the group chat, but it's true. It's not just any machine, it's sentient." Chris looked down at his coffee, recalling what it had told him the other day. "And… it knew a LOT more than I thought. It spoke of Splatfests as if it has witnessed them before... and it referred to me as 'one of the four'. That thing knew I was part of a group to save the festival, even though it was locked up tight down there."  
Cobalt and Katelyn were speechless. Mei-Lin listened intently, a serious look on her face.  
"It… knew about us?" She repeated. "That can't be… that's impossible. The octarians never knew we were in a group, they just thought we ventured in individually until we corrected them..."  
"…It's been on my mind the entire time yesterday." Chris continued. "I had no idea how long it had been there, but the Pawn was definitely there LONG before Splatfests even stopped in the first place. So… someone placed it there, expecting our eventual arrival. That presents two questions: how did it get there in the first place, but most importantly WHO put it there? It was definitely working for someone else."  
"Really?" Cobalt replied, puzzled. "It seemed to me that everyone around us has been acting down without Turf Wars and the like. Who's even gonna benefit from stopping them coming back?"

There was a brief moment of silence as the team considered the possibilities. Eventually, everyone sighed in defeat, all of them drawing blanks.  
"I mean, thinking back to the people we were forced to fight during our quest… we had Tetanus, and the Under-Sea-Dogs." Mei-Lin thought aloud. "But Tetanus was basically a naïve child trying to interact with the world, and the Under-Sea-Dogs were just doing their jobs. They weren't explicitly stopping us because we were trying to restore Splatfests."  
"They were only there by happenstance. Hmm…" Cobalt racked his head for a while, before collapsing onto the table. "…uurgh, nope. I can't think of anyone."

"ARGH! Can't we just stop this discussion right here?!" Katelyn exclaimed.  
The other inklings turned to her. All of them were somewhat surprised by the proposal.  
"Three straight days, we've been either trying to escape with our lives, or fighting! I'm tired of it! If we still don't know when the next altar message is coming, can't we just spend the day just… acting like regular teenagers for a change?"

Chris pondered the idea briefly, before nodding.  
"I suppose we're not doing any adventuring until we hear back from Sheldon." He replied. "C'mon, let's chat about something normal for a change."

* * *

The next few hours flew by in a blur. With the heavy tension of their quest temporarily set aside, the team began to hang out like normal children, refreshingly discussing trivial topics like shopping and video games. Considering the nightmarish scenarios they had to endure the last few days, it was most certainly uplifting to be able to forget their stress and worries.

"….they did WHAT?!" Katelyn yelled, causing a few heads to turn. "Unbelievable, I was wondering where Mark and John disappeared to, and they were playing Agent all this time?!"  
"They didn't want you to worry about them. I'm guessing that was probably why they didn't tell you about it." Chris replied awkwardly. "Though I guess since they were stuck in the Grand Library for two weeks, I can't exactly blame them for not being able to say anything."  
"Why I oughta- The next time I see them, I'm going to throttle them for making me worry like this!" Katelyn exclaimed, grumbling menacingly.  
"I… guess you will." Chris could've sworn he saw two familiar inklings swiftly duck out of sight in the distance, but he decided not to comment on it.

"…comics?" Mei-Lin muttered as the topic came up. "I suppose I appreciate the artstyle, but I honestly don't understand the stories. They just feel… contrived."  
Cobalt tutted in response, as if Mei-Lin was an ignorant child speaking to her parent. "Oh no no, that's not how you enjoy a comic. The best part about a comic's plot is that you can just turn your brain off and enjoy the spectacle! It's basically literary junk food, to put it one way!"  
"Doesn't that… ruin the point of reading it?" Mei-Lin replied skeptically. "I've heard from Katelyn that comic book universes often have intricate details that someone with a keen eye would notice, but… the issue she handed me had nothing but nonsensical superpowers, explosions, and plot threads that went nowhere. I can't say I enjoyed it…"  
"Oh, bugger. Don't tell me… what's the title of the comic book?"  
"Oh. Umm…" Mei-Lin pondered for a brief moment, before remembering. "I think it was titled 'X-Splatter'. Why, is it…?"  
"Blast, I knew it! Of all the comics she had to pick out as an example…" Cobalt facepalmed, his hand making an audible clunk on his gas mask. "I'll talk to Katelyn by myself later, looks like I'll need to refine her taste of comic book literature personally. I know this place close to Arowana Mall…"  
"O….kay then?" Mei-Lin didn't know how to reply other than with a confused giggle.

"Come to think of it, do you guys ever do anything other than Turf Wars?" Katelyn asked, watching the rapidly shrinking pile of drinks by their side. "You two seem pretty serious about it."  
"Well… this guy is, at least." Chris replied, pointing at Cobalt. "He told me once: 'One of these days I'll be the strongest inkling around.' I've been helping him with that, but it's been slow progress."  
"Nah, we don't do Turf Wars 24/7." Cobalt corrected. "Everyone's got their off days, so whenever there's one where I'm just not feeling it, I basically bunk up at Chris's house and play video games all day with him."  
"I mean, it's not like I have a choice." Chris muttered, glancing sideways at his friend. "Cobalt lives with me, you see. You'd think that with the credits we make together he could've afforded a house, but he spends it all on useless junk."  
"Woah, let me stop you there. You LIVE with this guy?" Katelyn exclaimed, looking at Cobalt. "I mean, don't you have anyone to go back t-"  
Katelyn stopped mid-sentence as Cobalt fell silent. Remembering the conversation he had with her before they went into Sector 0, she bowed apologetically. "Oh… right. Sorry, I made that awkward."  
"Ehh, it's not even that." Cobalt replied, handwaving Katelyn's slip of the tongue. "I just thought if I bunk up with Chris, I wouldn't have to spend credits on paying rent for another house. With all that spare cash lying around, I can use it on all the important stuff!"  
"Like… comics?" Katelyn smirked as Cobalt gave her a surprised look. "You do realize you were talking pretty loudly, right? I heard you talking to Mei-Lin. For the record, I LOVE reading X-Splatter!"  
"SERIOUSLY?! You read that garbage?! Lemme tell you something-"  
"Welp." Chris said simply as Cobalt and Katelyn descended into a heated debate on comic book preference. "Guess we'll have to leave them to it…"

* * *

Before long, the conversation had lasted long enough to the point the sun was beginning to set in the horizon, a soft yellowish glow reflecting off a nearby skyscraper and casting onto the coffee shop. Finally exhausting the last of their drinks from talking, Katelyn got up.  
"Okay, now that we're done talking, there is ONE last thing we need to do!" She proclaimed.  
"…what would that be?" Mei-Lin asked.  
"Haven't you all realized? We've visited two crosses in our quest so far! I reckon we should get together for a commemorative photo!" Katelyn's eyes twinkled with joy. "C'mon everyone, get up!"  
"W-we are?" Mei-Lin hesitated briefly. "Sure… I don't mind…"  
"Shouldn't that be saved for when we get to all four? Ehh…. Whatever." Cobalt shrugged, pushing aside his seat. "Why not?"  
"I wouldn't mind something to remember our adventures together by." Chris agreed. "Let's gather in front of that coffee shop's entrance..."

With a few moments, everyone agreed on a position and stood there. Cobalt and Katelyn decided to take the center together, while Chris and Mei-Lin flanked the sides. They convinced one of the jellyfish waiters close by to take the picture for them, handing them Chris's phone so he can send the photo to everyone in the group later on.

"Alright, this is it!" Katelyn exclaimed, as Salty also poked out of her hat to take a peek. "Strike a pose, aaaaand… SMILE!"

*click*

* * *

 **AN: I... got nothing. I'm running low on interesting things to say.**


	39. Premonition

**Premonition**

* * *

As the sound of a hand drill stopped echoing around the workshop, and the flares from an acetylene torch dimmed to nothing, Sheldon briefly lifted his welding mask to take a look at his handiwork.  
"Hmm… maybe I should add a valve." He said to himself, examining the unfinished weapon laying on the worktable before him. Rummaging through a nearby toolbox full of parts, he selected a small metallic piece from the pile, and continued tinkering with the weapon on the table. Satisfied with the result, he carefully placed it on a weapons rack besides him, where it gleamed with a polished finish.

Sheldon had been busy tinkering and modifying the weapons that the team of inklings had given to him. Hours had passed since their meeting, and the horseshoe crab had been working into the late hours of the night to finish his project.  
The premise seemed simple to him at first: modify an inkling's weaponry so the users can fight against threats that may be resistant or even outright immune to ink. He had seen inkling ink in action several times already, and more often than not the main damaging factor seemed to involve corrosion of some fashion, which would explain how it was able to destroy objects like wooden crates so easily.  
As it turned out, it wasn't that simple. As Sheldon pondered the possibilities while mulling over a blueprint of the weapons he had designed, he realized that if a target might be completely resilient to the ink's corrosion, then his current lineup of weapons may as well be poolside toys. Sure, he never had to worry about such an issue before considering they were only being used in Turf Wars, but now he had to be creative.

It took a certain amount of research, which had eaten up the entire evening. But inspiration struck when he needed it the most, and with his renewed vigor he had successfully modified three of the four weapon sets presented to him. As Sheldon eyed the Dual Squelcher that was now lying before him in pieces, he brought up his handy notepad, reading through the exact specifications of the original owner.  
"A support role, objective-oriented, and a team leader of sorts. Hmm…" The horseshoe crab thought aloud, yawning as he polished his goggles. "If that's the case…"

Rummaging through a huge stack of paper stuffed in a cabinet to the side, Sheldon eventually found a set of rough sketches tucked inside, and examined them under the lamplight. He flicked though each page one by one, before he selected one sketch in particular and pondered the possibilities as he poured over the drawings.

"Hmm… I might need to make a few adjustments to the original design concept, but this oughta do it!" Sheldon grabbed a pin and tacked the sketch onto a billboard right in front of him. The rough etches on the paper depicted what appears to be an autonomous fish-like robot swimming in ink. "Now where'd I stash the parts? I'm sure I have an antenna tucked away in here somewhere…"

* * *

Snowflakes fell upon Inkopolis Plaza as another day dawned upon the city. Not much sunlight fell upon the buildings today, as the sky was partially covered by a thick layer of clouds, casting a blanket of gloom over the entire city. Thanks to the overcast weather, the snow was no longer melting, and large piles of the stuff were starting to accumulate in corners of the plaza, slowly melding together into ice.  
The weather was mercifully bearable despite the lack of sunlight however, as there was barely even a slight breeze blowing through the plaza. However, thanks to the events that had transpired the other day, very little inklings if any can be seen wandering the plaza. The rest were likely holed up in their homes, much too exhausted to even venture out into the streets.

At least, that was Katelyn's assumption. As she stood with her back to a snow-covered tree close to Booyah Base, she looked around, seeing next to no inklings in the near vicinity. The one or two that did pass by her were unusually quiet, not even registering her presence as they walked by.  
"It's eerie… isn't it?" Mei-Lin's voice called out from behind Katelyn. The other inkling in question was occupying the other side of the tree, making a rough sketch of the manhole across the plaza. "I've never seen them so… quiet."  
"I wouldn't even say they're keeping to themselves." Katelyn replied, looking at a teal-colored inkling peer upwards at the TV screen, the display entirely blank and not even broadcasting any advertisements. "I would guess they're all just waiting for the next message. Though I gotta agree with you Mei-Lin, the way they just stare up at it before just wandering off… it's creepy."

Mei-Lin nodded in agreement, pausing momentarily to check her phone. Chris had received word that Sheldon had completed his part of the bargain, and they are supposed to pick up their weaponry at Ammo Knights. The two girls had arrived first, and they had been waiting for the boys to show up.

"You cannot blame them, Katelyn." A familiar voice called out to them from afar. "In these trying times, it's understandable that they're lost and confused."

Katelyn turned at the source of the voice, and to her surprise she saw a strikingly familiar inkling from across the plaza, carrying a traditional umbrella that complemented her priestess garb.  
"Saika?!" She exclaimed, and Mei-Lin turned around. Her friend was just as surprised by the sudden appearance of the shrine maiden. If anything, it was like she just popped out of thin air.

"It's nice to meet you too. It was far too quiet in the shrine, so I decided to come out for a walk." Saika looked around, perplexed. "Hmm… How strange. I don't see your male companions."  
"Oh, they're on their way." Katelyn explained. "So… why are you meeting us out here? You could've just invited us to the shrine if you think it's too quiet."  
"I wanted to check on your progress as soon as I could. I was feeling particularly curious." The priestess replied. "Tell me, how goes your pilgrimage?"  
"We've made it to two crosses so far. Basically, we're halfway done! Though…" Katelyn rubbed the back of her head as she sighed. "We've hit a snag. We don't know when the next message is going to be coming out, so we've been making some prep work in the meantime."  
"The cross that was in Backwater Barricade told us when the next message would arrive, but an earthquake interrupted us before the cross in Octo Valley could tell us when the one after that would've showed up." Mei-Lin elaborated. "Nothing happened yesterday, so I don't think the pattern of a new message after a successful skirmish was correct…"  
"Is that so…?" Saika nodded. "No one can claim to know the whims of the gods… but I can understand your urgency."

The priestess took shelter underneath the shade of the tree that Katelyn and Mei-Lin were using, sighing as she relaxed. A misty breath escaped her lips, drifting through the icy air before it disappeared into nothing.  
"Would you two say that you've picked up anything from your journey?" Saika asked, turning to look at the girls. "They say that the journey is much more significant than the destination… Was it harrowing? Enjoyable, even?"

"It's…" Mei-Lin began, but her breath seized in her throat. She still wasn't prepared to acknowledge the events of the days prior. "It's terrifying. I didn't anticipate the dangers… it was... it was…!"  
"Calm down, Mei-Lin." Katelyn managed to keep her friend at ease, but she still looked worried. "But… she's not wrong. We've both seem some things out there that… well… I really don't think anyone should ever have to see."  
Saika's eyes narrowed. "I… see…"

For a brief moment, Katelyn noticed that a part of Saika's serene aura seemed to have vanished like the wind, replaced with an air of melancholy. The priestess's smile seemed to have faded, replaced with an expression that seemed… pained? Disappointed? She couldn't read the priestess's emotion at all.

"…do you know what I have to do, as the priestess of the Shrine of Guidance?" Saika said, looking up towards the sky. "Day by day, I have to tend to the people that pray there, and listen to their worries. After years of listening to confessions from the people of Inkopolis and even those that came from faraway lands beyond the city's borders, one tends to gauge the general moods and happenings of the populace as a whole."  
The priestess sat down, her gaze still affixed upon the clouds that hung above her. "I've realized that a vast majority of the people I've met never grasped the opportunities that were hanging before them, and lived a life of regrets. They support one another out of obligation, but in times of crisis, they can only think of themselves… it is very unfortunate, having to hear so many iterations of the same story over and over, all coming from diverse backgrounds and species. This city, no…. this world… it is afflicted with a deep apathy that has sunken into its roots long before Splatfests even stopped. It's only now that the curtains are pulled back, and we see it come to the light."  
"Okay...?" Katelyn said, somewhat unsure on how to respond. "I suppose I kind of understand where you're coming from. Still…"  
"Yes… despite this hopelessness, there is a chance. The four of you." Saika nodded, getting up and facing Katelyn and Mei-Lin. "The very fact that you all even embarked on a journey this dangerous to begin with and persevered despite the tremendous risks involved defies the 'status quo', as it were. It is truly commendable."  
"We're… defying the 'status quo'?" Mei-Lin asked. "But… how?"  
"By resisting the desire to merely stand by and wait for the crisis to pass, much like many others already had." Saika replied sagely. "There is an old saying: 'those that wish to change the world must rebel against it'. I believe by the end of this journey, you shall all usher in a new era… one where we all shall be elevated to new heights, and bring salvation to us all…"

A momentary silence fell over the plaza, and nothing can be heard except the rustling of the leaves above the inklings. Curious about the silence, Salty popped out of Katelyn's hat, and examined his surroundings.

"…what was THAT all about?" Katelyn finally spoke up, dumbfounded.  
"…I'm sorry, I'm rambling." Saika replied, laughing softly. "I'm barely in my twenties, and I'm already speaking like an old lady. What is the matter with me? Heh…"  
"Y-yeah!" Katelyn couldn't help but laugh along with the shrine maiden. "I think I preferred you when you were a lot less serious… Do you have any more stories to share?"  
The priestess pondered for a few seconds, before she managed to think of something. "Oh, I do! The other day, there was this urchin I saw carrying around this strange guitar, strapping an amplifier to one of the sakura trees outside the shrine…"

Some time passed while the three inklings exchanged stories with one another. Eventually, Katelyn spotted Chris in the distance, escorting a rather groggy looking Cobalt.  
"Ah, I see them!" She said. "Hey, you two! Over here!"  
"Hey, sorry about the wait." Chris replied, shooting a nasty look at Cobalt. "This idiot decided that playing video games until the sun rose despite us having an appointment today was a good idea… I had to drag him out of bed!"  
"C'mon, Chris… the final boss was right there! I can't just leave it to sit unresolved!" Cobalt snickered. "Now I have no regrets and a free schedule. So… what are we doing…?"  
Chris's exhausted groan could be heard from across the plaza. Katelyn tried to stifle her already uncontrolled laughter, with limited success.

"It would appear it is time for me to take my leave." Saika said, watching as Chris barely restrained himself from shaking Cobalt senseless on the spot. "It was delightful talking to both of you."  
"Oh, it was! Let's chat again sometime!" Katelyn said, waving as the priestess bid farewell to the inklings and walked into the train station, disappearing into the crowd.

"Hmm. Was that Saika?" Chris asked, watching as the shrine maiden departed. "What was she doing here?"  
"She was just here to check up on our progress. She was… curious?" Mei-Lin replied. "…Never mind. We've all come here because Sheldon's finished with our weapons, right? Let's go."  
"Yeah. C'mon, we shouldn't keep him waiting."

The team made their way towards the shops, preparing to enter Ammo Knights together. Katelyn turned to face a still tired Cobalt, amused at his barely functional demeanor.  
"…just what kind of game have you been playing to hold your attention for that long?" She asked. "I'm interested."  
"Eh… maybe I'll tell you more about it later." The masked inkling replied, as they entered the weapons shop. "Right now, upgrades first."

* * *

Ammo Knights was the same as Cobalt and his fellow Turf War enthusiasts could remember it. The weapons were hanging on the walls and displayed in the glass cases as the masked inkling always remembered, and the shop's counters and benches were properly cleaned and dusted just like it was regular business hours, despite the lack of any kind of actual business to speak of since the past few weeks. Sheldon probably kept his shop in proper condition just in case any customers decided to show up.

"I was worried the lot of you had forgotten about the appointment!" A voice came from the back, before Sheldon came out of a door. "I'm just dying to show off my latest creations!"  
"Sorry about the wait, Sheldon. We got a little… hung up." Chris said, shooting a dirty look at Cobalt. "So, where are they?"  
"Right this way, follow me! I've set up everything back at the firing range."

As the team followed Sheldon through the door and headed towards the firing range, Katelyn noticed Mei-Lin stopping every few steps to look around the workshops they passed by.  
"I don't think you've ever come to Ammo Knights before." She said, "I mean, I gotta make sure my inkbrush still works so I come here now and then, but you're probably here for the first time."  
"Yeah… it is." Mei-Lin replied absentmindedly, looking at an organized shelf chock full of weapon parts. "Cobalt and Chris come here often?"  
"I mean, they're regular Turf War players. I'd guess so. But ehh… speaking of them…"  
Katelyn looked back towards the winding corridor, and she couldn't even see the shadows being cast from the others. Mei-Lin might've gotten a little TOO absorbed by her surroundings…  
"I think we might be holding them up right now." She said, looking back at her friend. "C'mon, Mei-Lin! We'll tour the place all we want later!"  
"Must we…?" Mei-Lin replied, sounding rather disappointed as she reluctantly tore her eyes off the schematics pinned on a nearby billboard.

The firing range itself seemed no different than usual. Squid-shaped balloons lined the halls, prepared to be popped and inflated again as part of their role as target practice. In a corner of the room, piled up high was the team's weaponry… only they were considerably different in appearance since they gave them to Sheldon. Cobalt was staring down on the weapon pile, utterly confused.

"Uh…. Sheldon?" The masked inkling said as he peered down at the pile from every angle. "I don't see my Sploosh-O-Matics. What did you do to them?"  
"Ah, yes. I had to do a bit of …drastic reworking to meet the demand." The horseshoe crab engineer replied. "This is why we're here, we'll need to make sure these babies work as they should. So… let me just give you all your weapons first."

One by one, Sheldon handed out the reworked weapons to the team members. The surprise in the inklings were pretty obvious as they realized how much their equipment had changed.  
"Okay, just what the blazes did you do to my brush?!" Katelyn asked, hefting her inkbrush over her head. The handle seems considerably elongated, and she seemed to be having trouble carrying it in one hand. "It's so heavy now!"  
"At least yours is still a brush! I don't even know what Sheldon did to my guns!" Cobalt replied, looking down at his weapons. It would be a stretch to call them guns anymore, as they now resembled large metallic gauntlets with nozzles in the center of the palms. "What, am I supposed to punch people with these?!"  
"Mine's…. mostly unchanged, I think." Mei-Lin said, looking at her Splatterscope. "But I can't really tell…"  
"Well, mine's mostly the same too, except for this bit right here." Chris added, looking down at his dual squelcher. There appears to be an antenna installed to the side of the weapon. "I also got some subs that I don't recognize... I guess we'll find out what they do once we test them out?"

"So is everyone all set? Ink tanks prepped? Alright, good." Sheldon turned to Katelyn, beckoning her forward. "We'll test yours first."  
"Sure." Katelyn replied, fastening the last latch on her modified skates.

As Katelyn slid forward on her skates, Sheldon pressed a button, and inflated a new target for his demonstration. Interestingly, the target seemed to look different from the rest of the ones in the back, made of a sleek material.

"So I didn't expect to find skates being handed in among the weapons, but I recognized the octarian handiwork. The modifications on them are… inspired, but they didn't have enough imagination, if you ask me." Sheldon said as he gave a condescending chuckle. "I've taken the liberty to add a new function to them. By expending your ink reserves, you can charge forward at incredible speeds while leaving a sizeable trail behind you for your teammates to follow. Just… watch where you're going, you wouldn't want to peel yourself off of a wall."  
"Uh huh…" Katelyn replied, processing the information. "And how does my inkbrush having such a ridiculously long handle have to do with this?"  
"I was gonna get to that. So, see that latch to the side of the inkbrush? Flick it."  
"What, like this?" Katelyn replied, doing as Sheldon said. Part of the handle popped off, revealing a metallic gleam-

"WHAT THE?!" She exclaimed, quickly stuffing the handle back on. "Sheldon, you didn't-"  
"Oh, I did." The horseshoe crab seemed rather full of himself as he made his grand reveal. "I've given a cutting edge improvement to the weapon… in the literal sense."  
"You did WHAT?!" Cobalt yelled, seemingly just as surprised as Katelyn was. "What made you think that was a good idea?!"  
"Well… I came to that conclusion after researching your fighting styles. Blame the research material, not me."

"I'd love to see what Sheldon's been reading up to come up with THIS." Katelyn groaned, looking down at her weapon as she 'unsheathed' the blade, revealing a short katana that was about half of her height in length. "Gods, I was wondering why the brush was so heavy!"  
"I… can picture you with a katana, actually." Mei-Lin commented, looking at the contours of the blade. "Why not… dance with it?"  
"Oh c'mon, Mei-Lin! You can't expect me to- Hmm. Actually…"

With the weapon in hand, Katelyn took up a stance, and began to sway to a music that she could only hear, drawing shapes in the air with the sharpened edge. Suddenly, she lunged at the target and sliced straight upwards, popping the balloon with one swipe.  
"…I changed my mind. I can work with this." Katelyn said, smiling at her handiwork. "This thing's pretty hefty for someone like me, but I'll manage."  
"Yeah… Good luck trying THAT out on something that's fighting back." Cobalt remarked, watching the tattered target replace itself. "I'm betting that you'd end up flailing that thing like you've been thrown in hot water."  
"You're…. probably not wrong." Katelyn replied simply, and shrugged. "But a girl can dream, right?"

"Cobalt's up next." Sheldon said, turning towards the masked inkling. "So, as you can see, I've decided to get a lot more creative here."  
"You don't say…" Cobalt replied, looking down at the gauntlets he's now wearing. "Why metal fists? I'm not even a melee fighter like Katelyn is!"  
"The Sploosh-O-Matic is designed for close-ranged combat. The barrels for those guns are still there in your palms in case you need an inking option. You should be familiar with it in that aspect."  
"Yeah, but what's with the OTHER nozzles lining the back of the gauntlets?" Cobalt asked. Looking down at the back of his hand, he could see what appear to be reworked Charger barrels pointed away from his fingers. "I can't shoot anything with these pointed the wrong way."  
"That's the fun part!" Sheldon exclaimed. "Those nozzles are meant to boost the power of your punches. If you ever find anything you can't ink, you just have to hit it really, REALLY hard. Plus, those boosted punches should leave trails for you to retreat into if you ever need them."  
"…I like the way you think." Cobalt clenched one of his fists, looking down at the knuckle joints of the gauntlets. Short metal spikes protruded from his knuckles, looking particularly lethal towards anything at the receiving end. "Let's see if these do work as you say."

With a battle cry, Cobalt charged forth towards the target balloon, and went wild. As if he was being filmed, he jabbed, punched, and kicked the target as dramatic as possible, before he finished it off with an ink-boosted punch, popping the balloon as he swept across the field. The charged punch obliterated the balloon, and the masked inkling just kept going through and right past the torn pieces, only stopping as he abruptly collided with the opposite wall and keeled over.  
"Whew…. That was fun!" Cobalt yelled jubilantly, despite still being dazed from the collision. "I think the spikes aren't sharp enough though, they didn't even puncture the balloon the moment I landed one hit!"  
"Guess we'll work on that." Sheldon replied.

Watching as Cobalt walked dizzily along his own ink trail back to the spectating group, Sheldon turned to face Mei-Lin and her Splatterscope.  
"Oh… It's my turn?" Mei-Lin asked, stepping forth cautiously.  
"Yep." Sheldon replied. "Admittedly, there isn't much I can do with your weapon. It looked like a Splatterscope, but the internal workings looked completely different when I opened it up. I assume you got that from the octarians as well?"  
"…yes. Someone gave this to me." Mei-Lin looked down at the Splatterscope in her hands, and thought of its previous owner. "She was… a nice person."  
"Well, I'm not sure who you're talking about, but I'm surprised the octarians managed to tack a Special like THAT on that weapon. Perhaps if that concentrated blast were more focused… Hmm…" Sheldon drifted into a train of thought briefly, before he snapped out of it. "Ah, that can wait. There WAS one modification I managed to attach to the product though: an electric bolt."  
"Electric…?"  
"Yes, you heard me correctly. I had to consult a few reliable sources to procure Zapfish for this feature. Since you're not a dedicated Sub user, I rewired a handheld generator to electrify your shots. It SHOULD be enough to incapacitate a target… in theory."  
"If you say so…" Mei-Lin replied, cautiously pointing her weapon at the target balloon. Noticing a new switch to the side of the gun, she flicked it, and felt static coming from the insides of the sniper rifle. Holding her breath, she pulled the trigger.

The result however, was not what everyone in the room had expected. The moment the shot connected, an extremely powerful surge of electricity coursed through not just the target, but through the ink that was already coating the floor around it. Arcs of lightning erupted throughout the targeting range, forcing the onlookers backwards.

"A-ah!" Mei-Lin yelled, falling onto her back as the power surge went just as quickly as it came, revealing what remained of the targeting range. The powerful electric shock had scorched the target balloon as well as the area around it, utterly evaporating the surrounding ink and leaving burn marks all over the floor. The stench of ozone was strong in the air.  
"That's… excessive." Chris said, dumbstruck at the sight.  
"Yeeeeah…" Cobalt agreed, watching smoke trail from the burn marks. "That's gonna do more than just incapacitate a target, I'd say."  
"Oh for the love of- I should've taken into account the ink that's already on the floor." Sheldon exclaimed, walking up towards the target balloon which wasn't inflating for some reason. "Aaaand the target mechanism's fried. Looks like we'll have to postpone this testing session for now."

"Well, we WERE testing to see if the weapons worked." Cobalt remarked, looking down at the Splatterscope on the floor that Mei-Lin dropped during her panic. "This one worked alright… probably a LITTLE too well… imagine if she ended up frying us by accident while we were fighting!"  
"Cobalt! Watch what you're saying!" Katelyn yelled, glaring at the masked inkling. Mei-Lin had let out a sharp gasp upon hearing Cobalt's words.  
"O-oh. Whoops?"  
"I-It's okay Katelyn..." Mei-Lin replied, sighing as she dragged herself up. "I'll be fine…"  
"You better be. Jeez…" Katelyn shot a look at the masked inkling. "You really need a filter over your mouth, you know that?"

"Well, with the testing range out of commission, we'll need to skip testing Chris's weapon for the time being." Sheldon sighed, picking up Mei-Lin's Splatterscope. "I'll go and make a few tweaks on this thing, you guys can wait outside."  
"Sure." Chris replied, turning to his team. "C'mon, let's go."  
"Alright." Sheldon watched as the inklings left the testing range, before he began muttering to himself while he made his way towards the closest workstation. "Might need to change up the generator to lower the voltage… maybe add in a diffusion failsafe too. I'm sure I can just swap out one piece for another and get it done…"

* * *

"Man… Sheldon's sure taking his time."  
"I'd like to see you come up with suggestions, Cobalt."  
"Ah, small talk's better than nothing, buuut…"

As they waited for Sheldon to finish his last-minute modifications, the inklings decided to wait at a corner of the shop, huddled together as a group. A cold wind from outside blew through the gaps in the doorway, whistling as it chilled them.

"…waiting around's seriously boring." Cobalt grumbled, shivering as he watched snowflakes drift from the sky outside.  
"It's not like we have much of a choice." Chris replied. "Until we know where to go next, all we can do is prepare."  
"It's been two days though!" Katelyn added. "I mean, I'm glad we all got the chance to take a breather, but I'm not sure we should be standing around like this."

"Could there be something we haven't done?" Mei-Lin interjected. "Back in Octo Valley… we never got the chance to ask the cross when the next message would be. What if there wasn't an exact date to give to begin with?"  
"Hey… I don't think I've even considered that!" Katelyn exclaimed, facing her friend. "But… what exactly would we need to do to continue?"  
"I… don't really know." Mei-Lin admitted weakly. "Is there something we CAN do right now?"

A few moments passed as the team considered the possibilities. Cobalt gave up almost immediately, shaking his head in frustration. But amidst his irritated grunts, Chris recalled something.  
"The fragments." He said aloud. "There WAS something we haven't tried. Is it possible to put them together?"  
"Oh right! You mean those things the crosses gave us?" Katelyn replied, watching as Chris reached into his pocket and withdrew the strange stone sphere pieces. "Hmm…"  
"Looking at them now… I suppose they look like they form a whole sphere." Chris said, examining them as he put the quarters together experimentally. "I don't see any interconnecting parts though, how are you supposed to connect them-"

There was no anticipating what came next. As the pieces came together, a powerful light suddenly burst forth from the fragments, far more intense than the electrical surge from earlier. The light intensified, slowly enveloping their vision until they could see nothing but white…

"WHAT- WHAT IS HAPPENING-"

* * *

"… _ **and what of your kind, good doctor?**_ _"_

" _My kind? Well… It's hard to sum it all up in a few sentences, but I suppose… we're not very good when it comes to foresight. How else did we end up in this state?"_

" _ **I see. What else do you have?**_ _"_

" _Hmm… really, there isn't much else I can say about them. I lived down here for most of my life, it's not like I can see what they did firsthand."_

" _ **That's unfortunate. What about the databases from the outside world?**_ _"_

" _I suppose that is possible. But going outside now… hmm…"_

"…"

"…"

" _I suppose it's nearly time for me to rest. I shall see you again tomorrow."_

" _ **I understand. We shall discuss more tomorrow. Have a good night, doctor.**_ _"_

" _Good night… Argo."_

* * *

"*gasp* W-What in the name of R'lyeh was that?!"

Chris snapped out of… whatever had happened to him. His vision was still blurry, and everything around him sounded muffled as if it were being smothered by a pillow. Still gasping for breath, he realized he had collapsed somehow. Noticing the cold sensation of concrete, he realized he was lying face down on the floor.

"About time you came to! You guys took long enough!" A voice came from somewhere outside his peripheral vision.

Chris tried his best to focus, dragging himself up from the floor. It wasn't long before he realized two things: Sheldon was standing in the doorway to the target range, looking mortified. He wasn't the only one that had collapsed either. Looking around, his teammates are all in various states of disarray, barely even functioning.

"Ugh… my eyes!" Cobalt groaned. He seemed to have fared better than Chris had, but only barely. He was covering the eye holes on his gas mask with both hands. "Everything's still white! Oh god, I haven't gone blind, have I?!"

"My ears are ringing!" Katelyn yelled, clutching the sides of her head. "All this white noise! I-it's too much!"

"…I… I can't… think straight… Help…" Mei-Lin definitely fared the worst. She was practically a shivering wreck, barely able to even move from one spot.

"What… what happened…?" Chris sputtered. "It wasn't just-"

"Jeez, don't worry me like that!" Sheldon interjected, running up towards the inklings. "I heard the message alarm in my workshop so I came running out, and you were all squirming on the floor like you've all been doused in sea water or something! I should be the one asking you all what happened!"

"I-I'm not sure…" Chris replied weakly. "We were trying to determine what to do, when… urgh… I can't…"  
"Wait, hold up! Did you say something about a message alarm?!" Cobalt interrupted, breaking off Chris's train of thought.  
"Yes!" Sheldon shouted indignantly. "Look outside!"

The gang peered outside, and sure enough, the once blank TV screen was now occupied by a shot of the Splatfest Altar. A new message has been printed, and the camera had zoomed in onto it, putting it in prominent display:

 _ **Insight bestowed, upon which new paths come forth.  
Witness the light, and your path shall become clear.  
The Spirit of Sentience awaits, slumbering within the earth.  
A graveyard of sinners, where their regrets fester.  
May your pilgrimage open your eyes, and bestow clarity upon you.**_

"No idea what the heck it's going on about, but that's my cue!" Sheldon yelled, running back towards the back of his shop. "I'm gonna go pack my bags right this instant, we'll depart in five minutes sharp!"

"Wait, but what about the testing-" Cobalt began.

"Field testing, my friend! Now if you excuse me, I gotta get prepared!" Sheldon's voice trailed off into the distance, as he ran down the corridor just beyond. "Good grief, where's my toolbox…"

"Well… there he goes…" Katelyn groaned. Her expression was still pained, and she was still trying to cover her ears. "But… what was…"

As the inklings eyed each other in confusion, Chris tried to make sense of the images and sounds that were still bouncing around in his head, to no avail. His eyes trailed downwards, resting on the stone fragments that had fallen out of his hands in the confusion. They had fused together perfectly, as if they were never broken apart to begin with.

"More questions than answers…" He mumbled to himself. "Just what is going on…?"


End file.
